I usually associate the phrase get more bank for your buck with financial investments in commodities or mutual funds or bulk purchases at places like Costco and BJ’s. You invest in a product in the stock market.
If it does well, you get extra income. You buy larger quantities of merchandise so you can pay less for the product. You may need a little more storage space but you can get a quality product that lasts a longer time.
But I think one of the best ways to get bang for our buck is to invest in you. Yep, gym memberships can be a good investment. They can help us get into a new outfit or improve our physical well-being or even reduce stress.
But living our truth also requires us to fit into new roles or cultivate new skills. This means investing in our inside self, our personal development. I often describe Life in 4-Part Harmony as a method for building your inside so that you can be your best self in the outside world.
As a new entrepreneur, sometimes I feel exactly like I do when I’m in a store searching for the right outfit. The hips fit but the waist needs to be altered. The jacket fits but the sleeves are a little long. The best thing is that the outfit has everything I need to look, feel and express my best self. I simply need to work with what I have to get the most bang for my buck.
Here are a few things that growing into an entrepreneur has taught me about getting the most out of me.
Truth
Start your day focusing on your who you are and your purpose. Greet your truth the first thing each morning. This can be a simple statement like: I am a teacher; I am an abundance educator; I am a change agent; I am a firestarter. I’m here to motivate others. Start your day with a statement.
Get up early and engage in personal development activities. Yeah, I know you may not be a morning person. Check out Hal Elrod’s, The Miracle Morning (Click on the title to learn more & purchase). Even the most dedicated night owls grow to love and cherish the gifts of early morning.
Order
Find good mentors. You can hire a coach to support your development.
Invest in your growth. Attend workshops and conferences that offer training in the skills you need. Read books that support your growth.
Connect your mission to your truth. Consider the various jobs or roles that you’ve accepted. Yes, you probably took on some of these so that you can pay your bills. But take a good look at how the activities you engage in connect to your truth and help you fulfill your purpose.
Balance
Pay attention to your emotional needs. Growing in new directions pushes us to change. This means feelings, doubts, ins and outs will rise to the surface. Meditation, journaling and simply reassessing how what you’re doing is relevant to your truth will ease those growth spurts.
Get help. You may choose to hire someone to take care of tasks that you don’t do well or that you can’t complete in a timely manner. I’ve been learning about virtual assistants. You can get help for small projects for as little as $5.00. BANG!!!
Reciprocity
Monitor your progress. Get accountability partners. A coach, a mastermind group, or colleagues on a similar journey can help you stay on track. And you can help them do the same.
Establish a gratitude practice. Be grateful for people, experiences, and all manner of resources in your life. Remember to be grateful for your growth and progress. Praise yourself for each step you take toward a better you.
Make you a priority. When you are the best you that you can be so is everyone around you. Truth, Order, Balance and Reciprocity blend to create the Harmony of the human symphony when each of us is at our best.
© Sandra Y. Lewis