Investing in Self: Education

As we move on in our “Investing in Self” series, we come to the idea of investing in your education. We here at MomVesting believe that education is the cornerstone to self-improvement. Whether you’re contemplating your first financial investment or looking to jump into a new career, setting yourself up for success only takes a little education and motivation. So how do you get started? Let’s take a look.

Decide Your Final Goal

You could be going back to school for your third Master’s or a course about latte coffee art (you know, the art of making those pretty flowers and hearts a barista magically applies in latte foam). Whatever your course of study, you must know what your final goal may be.

Is that third Master’s degree or the coffee art class going to give you an edge in your career, help you change career paths or bring you joy? Will the money you spend on your coursework be worth the final product? Only you can decide this.

Spending $60,000 for a Master’s degree may be worth the return in knowledge to one person, but another person’s final goal may be to advance their career. For that reason, knowing what you wish to accomplish will help you decide your best course of study.

Find Your School

Now that you know what you want to do with all of the knowledge that will soon flow forth, you can decide where to school yourself. Fortunately, you can surf for a school or for information from the comfort of your own home.

A simple Google search for “barista training,” for example, can set you on the path to numerous classes. The same is true for any coursework you are interested in: beekeeping, Psychology, fish wrangling, you name it.

Once you have a few schools narrowed down, the choice is yours. Online coursework is getting better and better, so there are many options there. Also, many skills you wish to master can be researched online before you commit to a full ten-day seminar on the intricacies of basket weaving.

Is this School Really My School?

The important part here is making sure the school fits your goals. Personally, I did not take this step when I was thinking of switching careers in my early banking days. I wanted to pursue my childhood dream of becoming a veterinarian, at almost any cost.

The thing is, I am not a natural scientist, and I knew the DVM (Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine) coursework would be rough on me. So I enrolled in a vet assistant program to get my feet wet.

I spent a few thousand dollars on the program only to decide I really couldn’t be a vet (I fainted at the smell of blood…). In any case, spending a week intimately observing the ins and outs of veterinary work would have taught me the same thing. And spared me thousands of dollars.

So make sure the school is right for you. Do your homework to decide if the courses and school will truly meet your goals in a cost-effective and emotionally-satisfying way. You may also wish to shadow someone in your chosen job field to ensure you're ready to commit to the new path.

As you move forward toward investing in your education, I wish you the best of luck! Investing in yourself can be the most satisfying experience, allowing you to meet lifelong goals with pride and joy.

Let us know your thoughts on education and self-investment below. We’d love to hear from you!

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