There’s a general notion that to build anything, a person needs to invest. Billionaire investor Warren Buffet started investing at the age of 11. According to Buffet, the best investment is one that ensures personal growth. And he couldn’t be more accurate. The growth path, be it mental or monetary, starts from investment in personal development. The more you invest in yourself, the more you’ll reap its benefits. And with that, here are 10 proven ways to invest in personal development. Top 10 Ways to Invest in Yourself Start with Regular Exercise The first step to self-development starts with the body and mind. And there’s no better way to bring the unison through exercise. Regular exercise increases endurance, focus, and overall proactivity. It allows a person to be more concentrated in each aspect and brings about a total overhaul from a rut. Exercise doesn’t have to be in the form of yoga classes or gym commitments. Instead, it can be a simple walk in the park or a 5 minute power workout. The key here is consistency. Rather than putting in a mammoth effort one day and sitting idle in others, try and make a small exercise routine to start each day. Read Self-Accountability: How to Develop Personal Accountability in Life Visualize the Goals Where do you want to see yourself 5 or 10 years from now? The key to self-betterment starts with visualizing the goals. It's important to have the idea as it helps to plan and work for the goal. It's important to remember that a better future doesn’t come automatically or overnight. Rather it takes time and effort to get from one stage to the other. And having a clear goal to that end helps in the concerted effort. Skill Development Skill development is another important aspect of self-investment. Many self-help pundits would suggest learning new things one after the other. While it's true that it helps to diversify knowledge, the process isn’t the best for a better and secured future. Instead of becoming the jack of all trades, first, focus on becoming the master of one thing. To be more precise, focus on the existing skills and try to increase their expertise in them. Ask yourself do you see yourself continuing in your current field? If the answer is yes, then you should definitely try to progress your career rather than stay stuck in one position. And the process of progression starts with increasing the expertise. Read Law of Attraction: Ways to Manifest Your Dreams Attend Seminars and Workshops We talked about increasing the existing skill set in the previous point. An effective way to initiate this skill development is through seminars and workshops. These are great places to start the skill development process. Besides, they also provide a great opportunity for networking and building connections. Networking is a key aspect of potential future opportunities. All in all, seminars and workshops are definitely something worth the time considering future benefits. Energize the Brain While exercising is a great way to freshen the body and increase focus, other aspects of mental development should also be focused on. And that starts with stimulating the brain. Rather than getting stuck in a boring routine, bring about a change and initiate new experiences for the brain. Read What is Self Serving Bias? How Can it Damage Your Career, Creativity, Potentials? It can be learning a new language, taking on painting, or simply spending more time with loved ones. The key goal here is to keep the mind fresh and energized and to avoid potential mental rut and depression. Side Hustles Some extra cash never hurts. The best way to go about it for anyone with a full-time commitment is through hustles. It can also be something that generates passive income. If you are good at writing, freelance. Better yet, start your own blog and monetize it. Side hustles can come in all shapes and forms. All you need to do is find out what works best for you and what you can capitalize on. Work-Life Balance Just because you need to start that side hustle or put in that extra hour at work, doesn’t mean you should let burnout kick in. The importance of a proper work-life balance cannot be over-emphasized. Try to strictly maintain work time and personal time. Also, take regular time offs for self-care. Without a proper work-life balance, many of the points mentioned above will not work as the body and the brain will be constantly tired. Read Why Do You Need a Purpose In Life? The Art of Saying No More often than not, most people don’t have what it takes to say ''no''. It can be a request for extra work hours or additional work pressure, the inability to say not only adds up to the personal woes. The way out? Learn to say no. It's not easy and you run the risk of potentially upsetting the person. If any person or situation puts pressure on you to do or allow something which can be a burden on yourself, think before saying "Yes". Ask yourself. Does your personal health and comfort matter more or not? Try to put personal interests first as it will go a long way for self-betterment. Volunteer Volunteering is also a great way to invest in the future. Now you might be thinking how doesn’t do something for free work as an investment? Well, it’s all about how you visualize volunteering as. The pursuit of self-development also treads the path of developing moral values, empathy, and all other beautiful traits that make us humans. Read Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle: Concept, Significance, Practice, Examples Volunteering for a cause will help to channel those traits into your personal life bringing satisfaction and mental peace. Remember, self-development isn’t always about being more successful, sometimes it starts with being a good human. Get a Pet A pet is like a life companion. They go through the phases of life with their owners, be it ups and downs. Getting a pet helps to create a bond and bring a sense of responsibility to oneself. Pets can also be an amazing emotional support element in times of despair. So go get a furry friend or a bird, and create memories and good times which will surely fuel you to strive for the better. Final Words Investing in yourself for the future may not have any shortcut. It’s a long and arduous process that starts with small progress. Each dot connects with the other to create a big picture in the long run. Most people fail to recognize this and are hesitant to take the first step. In reality, all you have to do is motivate yourself for the future, and the rest of everything will follow suit. Read Time Management: How to be ruthless with your time