By Sunny Simon
While terminating a recent phone call I experienced a warm and fuzzy feeling. I just completed a resume for a new client. Before we hung up she expressed joy and appreciation for the document showcasing her skills. Naturally delighting a client with a work product is the objective, but way down deep I knew my happiness was directed at her. Unaware of the back story, I sensed she had fallen on some hard times. She told me she promised herself to start investing in numero uno and kicked it off with an updated professional resume.
Do you have a vision of what you want to accomplish this year? Allocating your time and money is one of the most important tasks in creating a happy and successful life. Perhaps one of your goals this year is to save for a new home or a trip to Maui. If so, go for it. I applaud you. But before you squirrel away all your money for the new digs or a plane ticket, what part of your earnings have you earmarked for your personal development? Consider that while budgeting for 2017.
If you want to pump up your resume, have you considered returning to school? Enrolling in coursework to upgrade your knowledge base can not only improve your resume and potential future earnings, it can ignite a new passion and set you on a path to further success. Adding to your skill base bolsters your self confidence as you continue learning and growing.
If you’re shaking your head bemoaning lack of funds for college tuition, don’t be discouraged. Learning a new skill can be accomplished by investing little more than your time. By doing a Google search you’ll find a plethora of inexpensive courses, seminars and on-line based training. You can learn a language, improve your public speaking skills or tackle a time management course to improve your efficiency.
Self development also encompasses your well being. Set any goals this year to improve your physical and mental health? If not, get started. You can join a gym or find a cost free way to accomplish better health. The major investment to getting in shape is time. How will you allocate it?
Dale Carnegie, a man born on a poor Missouri farm who later became an author and founder of a successful training company once said, ““If you are not in the process of becoming the person you want to be, you are automatically engaged in becoming the person you don’t want to be. ” Wise words from a wise man. Time to get started, right?
Sunny Simon is the owner of Raise the Bar High Life and Career Coaching and the author of the blog, www.lifeonthesunnyside.net
