Common objections to investing in yourself
Investing in yourself is HARD.
Why do we feel like we’re not worthy of the investment even though we have no problem investing our time and money into other people’s dreams?
Here’s the truth: there are little lies you tell yourself that make you feel like you shouldn’t spend money on yourself or your business until you’re making money.
One way to make extra money is to improve your skills. Skills not only give you a way to pay the bills, but they also give you confidence in your abilities.
Here are some roadblocks that might be stopping you from investing in yourself. Let’s see if we can crush them!
1. You’re stuck with a “fixed income”
Until a few years ago, I believed I would never make more than about $40,000 a year.
I told myself that I was happy with that because it’s enough. And it really was enough. Mostly because I made it be enough by doing less and spending less.
I was happy with my life. I believe we always have the power to be happy regardless of our circumstances, but I wasn’t living my dream life.
You see, I had totally boxed myself into that $40,000 ceiling. More money felt unrealistic for someone like me. Someone who’d been fired. I didn’t believe I was capable of earning more.
That stinkin’ thinkin’ stuck with me even after I started earning more money. I had convinced myself that, due to “my circumstances,” earning more just wasn’t an option. I’d given myself a fixed income. There was no law saying Caitlin could only earn $40,000 per year. There was nobody confiscating every penny above $40,000.
A lot of folks have the same problem. They believe the myth that there’s only so much money coming their way. Every week, I get emails from people with that fixed mindset. Some say they can’t earn more money. Others say they can’t invest in themselves because they’re on a “fixed income.” They present it as a Catch-22: I’d love to do more so I can make more, but I’m on a “fixed income” and just can’t.
If I — the girl who got fired — can do it, so can you.
2. You think everything is a scam
This might not be the first time you’ve tried to start your own work-from-home business.
Maybe you tried something else before and you got scammed. Now you believe everything is a scam.
It’s wise to be vigilant, but you also risk closing yourself off to legitimate opportunities if you write everything off as a trap.
There are a few things you can do to avoid falling for a scam.
Make sure there are no lofty promises.
If the opportunity seems too good to be true, chances are it’s a scam. Success takes hard work, so if this opportunity promises a lot of money for little work, steer clear!
Contact the person.
Want to know if they’re the real deal? Email them! Stalk them on social media. Seek reviews and testimonials. Talk to the people giving these testimonials. I ask people to reply to me in each lesson of my free mini course at Proofread Anywhere. Lots of folks are floored by this but it’s part of the job — my favorite part, actually! I know how annoying it is when I try to contact someone online and can’t, so I go out of my way to be approachable and available.
Read the warnings and disclaimers.
Now is the time to read the fine print. If it’s a course, can you download a syllabus that breaks down what each unit and module include? On the sales page, is there a list of who is not a good fit for it—or just gobs of sparkly words designed to pull you in? Do your research and make sure you’re a good fit for the course BEFORE you hand over your cash.
There’s nothing scammy about skills. If you learn how to use your skills to help people, you’ll make money. Simple as that.
When you know the differences between scams and legit opportunities, you’re far less likely to waste precious time and money by falling prey to a scammer. Let that empower you to go forth on this journey with more confidence in yourself to choose wisely. In this case, knowledge is power!
3. You think you have to put everyone else first
Do you struggle with putting yourself first?
I get it; you love your family and friends. You want to do everything you can to make sure they’re happy and have everything they need.
So you have no problem investing money, time, or energy into other people’s needs, but when it comes to investing in yourself, you suddenly have a hard time pulling the trigger.
Why do you struggle with putting yourself first? You might think it’s selfish to think about your own needs, but the truth is you need to look after your own needs first so you can give your best to other people. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, unfulfilled, or doubtful, you’ll struggle to help other people.
Those are wise words. If the man who has made billions investing in stocks and bonds says that investing in yourself is the best investment, then I think we should listen to him!
Want to know one of the best things you can invest in? Your brain! Read more. Listen to podcasts. Take a course or webinar to learn a new skill. Learning a new skill not only leads to more money, but it also leads to increased self-esteem and confidence.
You’re worth the investment.
Melinda struggled to decide if she should invest in herself. It’s a good thing she decided she’s worth it — she invested in herself and now she earns $2,000 a month proofreading books.
4. You think having a degree is the only way to be successful
These days a college degree is not the be-all and end-all. I’ve written before about how getting a degree doesn’t create income or lead to job stability.
The key to everlasting job security is SKILL.
If you work in an office for someone else, a boss can take your job away at a moment’s notice, and your earning potential is often capped by your job description — not your true worth.
But if you invest in building SKILLS you can use to build income for yourself (not someone else!), no one can take those skills away from you.
And THAT is true job security.
Your brain is your most powerful tool in earning more income. That’s why investing time and/or money in improving your skills is much more likely to give you a positive return on investment than just shelling out cash for a degree.
I built all the skills I needed to create my successful business with the help of various online resources that cost a tiny fraction of what my degree cost.
I learned how to proofread, how to create a website, how to market my business, how to use social media, and how to write from these online resources, not my degree.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m not totally against college.
Going to college is often essential if you want to specialize in a particular area like medicine, law, or finance. And it can give you great life experience too — your first experience away from home.
But it doesn’t come cheap!! Sometimes the classes are just fluff or the professors are only in it for the money. Sometimes all you really have at the end of it is a bit of paper.
There are other options out there — whether that’s the military, trade schools, apprenticeships, or starting your own online business. Freelance proofreading, anyone?!
Focus on building skills, not collecting pieces of paper, and you’ll create true job security.
Even some teachers agree there are other ways to succeed! This former teacher and mom of nine kids has changed her perspective on higher education.
Moral of the story? Don’t let your college degree — or its irrelevance, or your lack of one altogether — keep you from building your dream life.
Don’t let the $200,000 you spent on a degree keep you from building a life you love. I know past mistakes can sting a lot, but it’s never too late to start over. Don’t waste the rest of your life being broke or miserable because of a decision you made at seventeen years old.
Which would you rather waste? The money you spent on a degree… or the remaining years of your life?
Our Take
I hope this helps you overcome your roadblocks and gives you the courage to invest in yourself. You need to commit to investing in yourself and your future. This means not just choosing something because it’s working for someone else but finding something that’s a good fit for your skills and interests. It means continuing to level up your skills so you can improve your impact and income — and using your resources wisely.
I encourage you to follow the first rule of working from home: invest in yourself!
Your future is worth the investment.
Your Turn
Still struggling with your mindset? I show you how to free your mind from the lies that hold you back, level up your mindset and skills, and launch your business in my book Work at Home.