Invest in Yourself Relentlessly: Advice to My Younger Self 

If I were allowed to travel back in time to say a few words of wisdom to my younger self, among the most important words of advice would be the following: “Invest in yourself relentlessly.” Now, this might sound pretty self-evident, but living in a world that is incessantly asking us to invest time, energy, and resources in other things than ourselves, it happens pretty easily that one may forget the best investment you can make is in your own self. But it’s not only for return on investment; it’s to create some foundation on which one builds his life—a life of growth, fulfillment, and success. I think what I’m trying to understand is: What does it mean to invest in yourself? How do you do it? Why is this so important for your future? Let me get into that.

Why Investing in Yourself Is the Best Decision You Can Make 

The idea of self-investment can pertain to virtually anything: from one’s education, skills, or health, along with relationships, right to your mental well-being. It is in these very functional areas that a shape of life is formed, and unlike any other investment, the return on this one is immeasurable.

Take education, for example. With the world changing so fast these days, the skills one possesses may not be helpful in five to ten years. Investment in continuous learning helps a person be flexible. As Warren Buffett, an American investor and businessman, once said, “The best investment you can make is in yourself. The more you learn, the more you’ll earn.”  Knowledge is indeed not only power but also a long-time asset which never depreciates. Whether this is learning a new skill, reading books, or expanding your network, these actions pay off in dividends throughout your life.

Real-Life Examples of Self-Investment 

One such real-life and truly inspiring story of self-investment is that of Oprah Winfrey. Oprah grew up in abject poverty and went through many hardships, but she continued to invest in her education, self-awareness, and personal growth. She was a voracious reader, and with all the struggles, she had her ways of expanding her knowledge and experience. These days, she is one of the most successful and influential media personalities in the world. As she always says, “You are your best thing.” That’s basically the core of self-investment—you are your best asset.

Another highly exemplary case is that of Indian business magnate Azim Premji. He has emerged as one of the most humble business personalities and has always pursued lifelong learning. Coming from one of the wealthiest families in India, Premji never put an end to his pursuit of an education for himself and others. Under his tenure, Wipro diversified from a small company manufacturing cooking oil to a global IT powerhouse. As he said, “The most important investment you can make is in yourself, and the best time to start is now.”

These stories would serve to show us that no matter what one’s circumstances at life’s beginning might be, investing in oneself provides the surest way to build a future of success, fulfillment, and resilience.

The Parable of the Talents: Making the Most of Your Gifts

There is, from the Bible, an old parable that epitomizes the essence of self-investment. It is called the Parable of the Talents: A wealthy man was going on a journey, and as he had to be away, he called three of his servants and entrusted his wealth with them. He called one servant and gave him five talents, an enormously huge amount of money; another he gave two talents, and this last servant he gave one talent. These first two servants then invested their talents and doubled them in value. Whereas the third servant, out of great fear, took his talent and buried it in the ground—so it would be safe and not be lost—but he reaped no return for the investment. When the master came back, he praised the two who had advised prudent investments but berated the third for his timidity.

The implication is simple: the gifts, abilities, and talents you have been given in your life are to be developed, fostered, multiplied. The more you invest in yourself—growing and expanding your horizons—the more you will have to give back to the world. Do not bury your potential in the ground out of fear or complacency.

Investment in oneself is not all about learning; it’s about well-being, too. 

Each time we talk about investing in ourselves, the first thing that comes to mind is all about professional or academic growth. Similarly, self-investment can be defined as concern for one’s health—both mental and physical. How often do we sacrifice our well-being in pursuit of external goals? As the great Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi has said, “It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.” Your physical and mental health are the fundamental constituents of success in life. If you are not healthy, no amount of financial or professional accomplishment will be of any importance.

A very worthy investment in yourself would be balance—nourishment both for the body and the mind. This may be a daily jog, meditation time, or even just time off to catch one’s breath. You are only your best when you feel your best.

How to Build Emotional Intelligence: The Long-Term Investment 

Investing in yourself isn’t just about academics or professional skills—but also about emotional intelligence. Emotional Intelligence, by definition, is the capacity for understanding and handling your own as well as others’ emotions. It’s proving to be a determining factor in personal as well as professional success.

Reflect for a minute on the impact emotional intelligence has on leadership. The famous example of an empathetic leader is the CEO of Microsoft, Satya Nadella. During his tenure, Microsoft started huge cultural changes that revolved around the innovation created through collaboration and emotional intelligence. Nadella has said, “Empathy makes you a better innovator.” Empathy and emotional intelligence help you relate to people at a deeper level, have better teamwork with others, and make more informed and thoughtful decisions. These are qualities anyone can develop by investing time and effort in understanding themselves and others.

The Ripple Effect of Self-Investment 

When you invest in yourself, the benefits don’t stop with you. Your growth ripples out into the world. You become a better friend, colleague, and more empathetic leader. You will lead by example in front of people and tell them how important continuous learning, self-care, and personal development are.

Probably among the most important things taken from Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of Facebook and author of Lean In, is that investment in personal growth allows having the strength to go through life challenges, which are inevitable. As she says, “You are not born with a fixed amount of resilience. Like a muscle, you can build it up.” Self-investing strengthens that muscle, allowing one to handle life’s ups and downs with grace and perseverance.

Closing Thoughts: The Smartest Investment You Will Ever Make

I want to tell my younger self and each of you who are listening or reading this, again, “Invest in yourself absolutely. It is the one investment that will never fail you.” Through education, emotional growth, and the well-being of your physical and mental health, this return on investment far outweighs that of anything monetary.

As American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson reminded us, “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.”   Hence let me conclude by saying, “The choices you make today in an investment in yourself will determine who you become tomorrow, so take that course in, read that book, exercise, meditate, and invest in your dreams, because you’re worth it.”

Learn more about how to become a Top Performer at: ORL Leadership Summit 2024.

Dr. Prahlada N.B
MBBS (JJMMC), MS (PGIMER, Chandigarh). 
MBA (BITS, Pilani), MHA, 
Executive Programme in Strategic Management (IIM, Lucknow)
Senior Management Programme in Healthcare Management (IIM, Kozhikode)
Postgraduate Certificate in Technology Leadership and Innovation (MIT, USA)
Advanced Certificate in AI for Digital Health and Imaging Program (IISc, Bengaluru). 

Senior Professor and former Head, 
Department of ENT-Head & Neck Surgery, Skull Base Surgery, Cochlear Implant Surgery. 
Basaveshwara Medical College & Hospital, Chitradurga, Karnataka, India. 

My Vision: I don’t want to be a genius.  I want to be a person with a bundle of experience. 

My Mission: Help others achieve their life’s objectives in my presence or absence!

My Values:  Creating value for others.