Investing in Yourself: How to Pick Courses, Books, and Skill Development

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It’s Sunday, 14th April 2024, and in this week’s roundup, learn in 5 minutes or less:

• Career Advice: A framework for investing in yourself to make more money, get back your time, and create a life you love

• Productivity: The best tools to help you get more done

• Stuff we are loving right now: Recommended course platforms and investment brokers to let your career income work for you

• Weekly round-up: What else happened this week, from Teslas robotaxi to what is helping the UK economy

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CAREER CORNER

Growing up means constantly making important decisions. As the years go by, you have more responsibility, and society expects you to have most things figured out, from your dating life to your career to home ownership, and the list goes on…

When you consciously invest in yourself, the last thing you want is to spend money on the wrong things, the wrong people, a book that provides no value, or a course that doesn’t help you solve a problem.

Both me and Anokye have burned through thousands of dollars on courses by fake gurus, coaches and networking events, and although some have provided a good return, some were a complete waste of time [we will share some stories in future newsletters :)]

So you don’t make the mistakes we have. If you are keen on investing in yourself, follow this framework:

The Self-Investment Framework: Grow Your Skills and Network

Investing in yourself is the best investment you can make. This framework will guide you on strategically investing in books, courses, people, and networking opportunities to maximize your personal and professional growth.

Step 1: Self-Assessment

• Identify Your Goals: What do you want to achieve? Career advancement, skill development, personal growth? Be specific.

• Evaluate Your Strengths and Weaknesses: Where are you strong? Where are the gaps you want to fill?

• Assess Your Resources: Consider your budget and time availability for self-investment.

Step 2: Choose Your Investment Vehicles

A. Books:

• Selection: Choose books that address your specific goals and learning styles. Consider a mix of classic texts and current industry publications.

• Action: Don't just read; actively engage with the material. Take notes, summarize key points, and apply what you learn to real-world situations.

B. Courses:

• Selection: Research online and offline courses that align with your learning objectives. Look for reputable institutions and instructors.

• Action: Actively participate in discussions, complete assignments, and leverage the expertise of instructors and fellow learners.

C. People:

• Selection: Connect with mentors, coaches, or advisors who have achieved what you aspire to. Seek individuals with different skill sets and perspectives.

• Action: Build genuine relationships. Set clear expectations and goals for your interactions.

D. Networking Opportunities:

• Selection: Choose events, conferences, or online communities that connect you with people in your target field. Look for opportunities to showcase your skills and build meaningful connections.

• Action: Actively engage with others. Be a good listener, offer value, and build mutually beneficial relationships.

Step 3: Track Your Progress and Re-evaluate

• Monitor Progress: Track the impact of your investments on your skills and knowledge.

• Regular Reviews: Periodically assess your goals and adjust your investment strategies.

• Consistency is Key: Invest in yourself consistently, even in small steps daily

By following this framework, you can create a personalized plan to invest in yourself and unlock your full potential. Remember, the most valuable returns come from consistently investing in your growth and development.

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GET MORE SH*T DONE

These are the best AI tools to help you get more done:

• Chatbots [ChatGPT, Claude and BingAI]

• Task and project management [Monday.com]

• Content creation [Jasper and Kaola]

• Grammar checkers and rewording tools [Grammarly]

• Video creation and editing [Descript and Vidyo.AI]

• Image generation [DALL·E 3, Midjourney, Stable Diffusion]

• Voice and music generation [Murf, Splash Pro]

• Knowledge management and AI grounding (Mem, Notion AI Q&A, Personal AI)

• Email inbox management [EmailTree, Sanebox]

• Slide decks and presentations [Beautiful.ai, Decktopus]

• Automation [Zapier]

BEST FROM TIKTOK THIS WEEK

@niazmillmoney

Creativity is a privilege. Execute on your ideas or be willing to watch someone else do them. #creativity #executeideas #lifelessons #bigmagic

STUFF WE ARE LOVING RIGHT NOW

Interactive Investor is a UK-based investment platform and a perfect investment platform. It is a low-cost, award-winning, online investment platform enabling you to invest in stocks easily and manage shares, funds, SIPPs, ISAs & more.

Course Careers is ideal for someone trying to get into a career with Tech and start for FREE.

Skillshare is perfect for those keen on learning a new skill and for continual learning in the creator economy. Anyone can take an online class, watch video lessons, create projects, and even teach a class themselves on topics ranging from videography to Facebook ads and growing a personal brand on TikTok.

MEMES & BANTER

BEFORE YOU GO

Celebrity News: British theatre gears up for the big night with Hollywood names, such as Sarah Snook, Nicole Scherzinger, and Sarah Jessica Parker, leading the nominations for this year’s Olivier Awards. Read more here

Business: Early estimates indicate the UK, which entered recession at the end of 2023, is on its way out of recession. Boosted by production and manufacturing in areas such as the car industry, the UK economy grew by 0.1% Read more here

Tech: Tesla is set to launch a robotaxi on August 8, as announced by owner Elon Musk on X.com this past Friday. Musk has been teasing the potential of a driverless taxi since 2016. However, Tesla has been facing pressure from regulators on the reliability of its autopilot system, which led to a recall of 2 million vehicles in December last year. Read more here

Travel: Meet the female explorer who transformed travel; Hilary Bradt is the co-founder of the world’s largest independently owned guidebook publisher and has been inspiring travelers to go off the beaten path for the past 50 years. Read more here

QUOTES & MOTIVATION

RECOMMENDATIONS

• 1-2-1 Consultation Careers Advice: Most people take this time to ask me for guidance for their career, turning their high-income skills into a consultancy business, improving their CV/Resume or Proposals to secure 6-figure+ jobs and high ticket day rates/retainer contracts.

• Career Growth Bundle Pack & Personalised Resume Review: Download the bundle to get everything you need to achieve your career goals.

• Personal Finance & Wealth Builders Bundle Package: Supercharge your finances with a suite of tools.

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