How much do you invest in your education and professional development?

Most freelancers count their pennies pretty carefully.

We find an excellent business book about small business marketing, but we don’t buy it. Why not? We consider it an “unnecessary expense.”

Or we hear about a conference coming up, and we know we could learn a lot about improving our writing or marketing skills, but we don’t go. We don’t go because it would cost us $2,500, and we would be away from home for three days. That’s three days of lost income, on top of the travel, accommodation and conference costs.

Or we find out about a group coaching program, developed specifically for freelancers. Once again, we don’t enrol. If asked, we can come up with a number of reasons for our decision.

And therein lies the trap. We can always justify saying no. There will always be good, sound reasons to say no. In fact, we can always congratulate ourselves for saying no.

But...

Fast forward five years and compare your freelance business to that of someone who has consistently being saying yes.

Your business is pretty much in the same place. Hers has grown tenfold.

Now try congratulating yourself.

The truth is, we should always be investing in ourselves, and in our professional development. The business world around us isn’t standing still. Change occurs at an ever-increasing pace. Standing still is a very risky strategy.

I’m not suggesting you say yes to every opportunity. Be picky.

But don’t count your pennies. Money spent on professional development is not a cost, it’s an investment.

Earlier this year I invested $10,000 in a year-long training program. That’s a lot of money. But I spent it willingly because I think I can leverage what I’m learning into an extra six figures a year in income. Every year.

If I use what I learn effectively, and achieve that goal, the $10,000 price doesn’t sound quite so bad.

I’m not suggesting you run out and max out your credits cards.

But I am suggesting you think very carefully about that inner voice that congratulates itself for being so thrifty every time you say no to a chance to learn.

If you want your business to grow and succeed, you need to invest in yourself.

First, get clarity on where you want your business to be in five years.

Second, stop saying no to educational opportunities which could help you achieve that goal.

If you would like help in achieving your goals through professional development, find out more about my coaching service...

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