You could spend hours and hours of your days watching the stock market, asking questions like how much did my stocks go up today? Should I sell now or wait? What company is still going to be successful in five years?
Don't get me wrong, there are people that have created a very comfortable lifestyle by investing in the stock market.
But there are also people that have lost everything.
That's the reality of the stock market. It rises and it falls. It's prediactble and yet it's not. It pays off one year and it doesn't the next.
Everyone is looking for something to invest in that offers security; something where you can't lose.
The answer? Invest in people. People offer what money can't - potential.
My $10 today will still be $10 tomorrow. If I invest that $10, it may become $20 over time, but it also may become $0 over time.
If I take 10 minutes of my day today to teach someone something, it may save them hours tomorrow. And we all know time is money.
If I take 10 minutes of my day to encourage someone, it may influence them to work 10 times harder tomorrow. Increased productivity.
If I take 10 minutes of my day (and the right words) to correct someone, it may help them avoid making that mistake tomorrow. Less mistakes, less time it takes to fix them.
If I take 10 minutes of my day to just listen to someone, it may be what makes them feel like they're worth something. That's an investment with immeasurable results.
I am where I am today because of the people that invested in who I am and who I could become. Did I work hard? Absolutely. My work ethic is something I'm proud of. But what influenced that were the people that took the time to teach, encourage, correct and listen to me. As a results, I want to do the same for people in life. That's the distinction between investing in people and investing your money - the impact people can have has no limits.
Last summer I interned with the company I now work for. They were looking for an intern and my Dad knew the owner, so I kind of just slipped right into the position. A coworker, now a good friend, poured into me - invested in me - during that internship and beyond. 12 months later I became the Digital Project Manager of that same company. They invested in who I was and the potential they saw in me and now, here I am, investing right back into the company, having a role in its growth.
When you live life aware of the potential of people and the impact you could have on their lives, you will never lose on your investment, even if they choose to walk away. That's real success.
Success is not measured by dollars, it's measured by impact. Impact on people, impact on your netwok, impact on the industry. When people are your focus, the money follows. You won't have to chase it.
That's my kind of investment.