What comes to mind when you think of investing in yourself?

Is it finding certifications to take that might add merit to your skills and resume or is it finding a new book to read? Maybe it’s both.

I get hit up by people constantly asking for sales tips, mentorship inquiries … you name it, it gets asked on a daily basis.

Try to get really clear on ways that personally fill your bucket and help you maintain momentum but try them all out and see what sticks.

Personally, investing in myself breaks down into three key elements:

Time, tools and teachers.

A balance of what works for you is going to be super important — I can only provide a framework of what works for me but here we go.

TIME

This is two parts: time as in personal time away from the grind and time as in duration.

Sales is like constantly being in the trenches. Even when you have a moment to catch your breath and celebrate a win, immediately it’s followed by needing to be prepared to take cover. That can weigh on anyone mentally over time, so it’s integral to your success to be able to step away from the trenches as much as you can.

Drive hard and fast towards success but don’t forget to stop along the way and remember yourself and your needs. Burnout can creep up quickly if you don’t and as soon as that happens: self-care may have been ignored for too long.

As for duration: it takes time to see investment in yourself pay off. Whatever it is, be patient. The best example I have is growing your LinkedIn following. That shit doesn’t happen overnight; it’s a daily routine you commit to. Small, calculated moves will eventually lead to mass impact.

TOOLS

Whether it’s books, certifications, therapy, taking classes or workshops … there are several different ways to invest in your skills and none of them are right or wrong, they just depend on what works best for you personally.

When I was in the hospital years ago, I would read constantly. This was before the days of smartphones and texting and all of that so reading became my outlet. Even after getting out of the hospital when I started my sales career I found reading a huge outlet for me and helped my career immensely. My biggest advice is to veer away from just reading sales books; they’re not the only ones that will be able to give you perspective.

Two that totally changed my life and are completely unrelated to sales:

Barbarian Days by William Finnegan

The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield

It’s easy to get hyper-focused on sales-only videos or books or classes but challenge yourself to pull away.

If you’re looking for tools specifically sales-related to help elevate your game then a good place to start is joining micro-communities on Patreon, Clubhouse rooms dedicated to sales or your specific field, finding podcasts you like … the list goes on.

TEACHERS.

No doubt mentorship is a hot topic these days and we all know how I feel about it: it’s never been easier to find mentors and build your circle of teachers than now.

You can listen to hundreds of podcasts on this but if this is an area you want to dive deeper into: find someone who you resonate with and has a similar trajectory to you and approach them thoughtfully.

Even if not in the form of a mentor, find someone at work that’s executing your position well and that you can learn from and pick their brain on process and how they achieve success in the position.

Personal investment is the greatest ROI on the planet. Take time for yourself and keep honing who you are, how you think, your hobbies, your skills and so forth.

Get really good at finding new ways to learn and step out of your professional world to give back to yourself, because it will in turn positively push change forward in your work life as well.

[ Here are some ways to get going if you need a good starting point: ]

Scotty’s Little Sales Club (because tequila can count as a tool for investment, right?)

Surf and Sales podcast: LIVE Mentorship at Scale Bonfire Session episode

Surf & Sales Summit – Session is open and we’re so excited to get everyone down to Costa Rica in November for surfing, sun + sales.

… or you can start by ordering the books mentioned above or reaching out to people you admire and ask for some non-sales-related books that may have impacted their perspective in business.

Let me know some of your favorite ways to invest in yourself.

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Looking for more? Thursday Nights Sales is the best place to spend your evening.

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Go check out the Surf + Sales podcast! You can find them on all streaming platforms.