Welcome to part 3 of my 7 part series on small investments that will change your life forever. Before you read this article, make sure you have read the other 2 sections: Part1 and Part 2.
In this part we will discuss how you can invest in self-improvement and general knowledge.
Table of Contents
5. Invest in self-improvement and knowledge
Investing in self-improvement has nothing to with ambition. Ambition is a completely different matter. Self-improvement is a vital part of our existence. For some, it becomes a lifelong journey, while for others it is an annoyance and pain.
People who understand its value go through life easier as they have more tools than those who ignore the practices of becoming better. While self-improvement is vast and applies to aspects of our physical, mental and emotional self, I will stand only at one important side of it: knowledge.
Knowledge is the path to a better place. Putting what you know into practice is also part of the game because sometimes it is not just about what you know but what you do with it. For example, you may see where you want to go but if you don’t actually move, you never get there.
For reasons of simplicity, let us assume that acquiring knowledge also implies that you actually practice what you have learned.
Some may argue “but education means nothing in today’s world!”. I totally agree with you but I am not talking about mere education, we are talking about Knowledge (with a capital K). Knowledge that you have (or are willing to acquire) and that you can actually apply and use in any given situation: Applicable knowledge.
In order to properly understand how the world works, how people think and how you can live a better life on this planet, you need to have a small toolbox. That toolbox must contain knowledge on the following matters:
a. Invest in Political knowledge
This does not mean that you must be an expert on political matters. You only need to know how politics work, the history of democracy (from Ancient Greece), how it evolved through the ages (Ancient Rome) and where we now stand in World Politics.
In this age of technology, you just hop on YouTube and watch a few documentaries to get an idea. I would not advise you to watch the news as the media often presents their version of what is right and wrong. However, if you have basic historical knowledge of politics, you might have a better chance of distinguishing between what is being said and what is being done. That is, in fact, the very basis of modern politics.
b. Invest in Historical Knowledge
If someone told me to learn history, I would not know where to start. So break it down to pieces.
Start with the history of your own native land. Your city. Try to see where it all began and how the city and its citizens progressed through the ages until today.
Then move on with learning about your country. Your country’s history often contains interesting facts and information about its geopolitical status and how it applies to its current status on the global scale.
Keep an open mind and you will be able to see possible mistakes made through the ages. This is valuable knowledge.
Last but not least, learn about world history. That being said, you don’t need to know everything about every place on the planet. However, having a brief idea of what makes each country special will allow you to understand more about the greatness and sadness that characterizes the human species. It also contains amazing lessons on how people managed to get over very stressful situations and not only survive but also thrive. This type of knowledge can truly be inspiring.
c. Invest in Foreign languages
As the years go by, borders expand and we find ourselves interacting with people from different countries on a bigger scale. Being able to speak more than your native tongue is important in order to communicate and learn more.
Sometimes the best way to learn more about a foreign land is to converse with one of its natives. However that can be quite difficult if you do not have a common language.
In addition to that, learning foreign languages stimulates different parts of the brain and activates nerve cells in it. In other words, it expands your brain and makes you smarter.
Some people want to travel the world. Without speaking at least a couple of other foreign languages, I do not see how that can be possible (and yet people do it). Tim Ferriss has a section on his website on how to learn to speak a foreign language in record time.
This concludes part 3 of the 7 part series. In part 4 we will look into the importance of health and physical education. Until then be strong, healthy and free.
Do you have any of the knowledge mentioned in this article? How has this knowledge helped you throughout the years? If not, why do you think it didn’t help you? Let me know by leaving a comment below.
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by Nick Sigma
CWC, EH, E-YRT200
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