The Cost of Saying 'No'

[Jenifer Madson]

How do you know when not to say 'no' to a financial investment in your personal development?

Some people invest in themselves based on how much money they think they can afford to spend or lose. Some say 'yes' as long as the options fall within a certain price range; others throw caution to the wind and hope the decision turns out for the best.

But how about developing a personal growth budget by starting from an exceptionally well-defined outcome? If you know absolutely where you want to end up, won't that make it easier to discern whether money spent on a particular book/ seminar/ conference/ program, etc., will meet your needs?

Take A Minute:
How do you decide what to invest in for your individual development?

Make A Minute:
Look at an avenue you've thought about spending money on to further your personal growth. Make the time to very clearly define what success would look for you in that area of growth first, then decide whether your initial strategy is the best investment, or whether you need to find a better one.

If you just say 'no' to an opportunity based on what's currently in your checkbook, you could be missing the information most key to your success. However, if you say 'yes' without a connection to the end game, that's a losing proposition too. Focus on the end result first, then look for the best all-around solution to accomplish it.