Who Will You Invest in Today?

I didn’t realize it for many years, but Robert chose to invest in me. It is now 20+ years later and I still think about how he was feeding me wisdom, knowledge, and instruction about how to live a life with integrity and thankfulness. In the time I spent working for Robert, I believe each encounter was a lesson in life that he wanted to impart. We have lost touch over the years, because I didn’t understand the value of his mentorship and friendship. However, when he invested in me, it has made a lasting impact.

In my mid-forties now, I look back and see that I got the greatest satisfaction in life choosing to invest in others. The returns on my investing in people come in the forms of success, gratefulness, paying it forward and the joy in their lives. Investing is a skill that I have learned over years. Other than Robert, who invested in me, I have had to fend for myself. Even seeking out mentors has been hard. I have been an aggressive reader on books that deal with leadership and self-improvement. Reading is an investment to myself to become a better person.

Ways to invest in others

• Share openly, share frequently. Your life experiences are your best asset. Being proactive in sharing will help others to bypass the pitfalls that you faced. Or even if they do get into the quagmire, it may be the information that you shared that gets them back on solid ground.
• Look intentionally for people to invest in. Pour into the people who have potential and are willing to accept your investment. It may seem crazy, but there are a lot of people who turn down what you have to offer because they are comfortable or unwilling to take a risk.
• Invest in everyone by being gracious and forgiving. You never know when someone needs a break, encouragement, or just a comforting word after a hard day.
• Invest by serving. The best leaders know that the best investment they can make is to serve others in any way possible to help make them successful. By having a servant’s mindset, we anticipate what people will need before they realize it and help them realize the solution to the need.

To invest in others means giving a little part of yourself to the growth of others. As their success multiplies, so will your investment. Who do you choose to invest in today? Share your story.