There are few things in life that are a guarantee. Everything else is a result of the choices and decisions we make as we walk through that life. You could say then that the life we choose is largely dependent on what we do as individuals and that the best way to maximize that experience is to constantly invest in ourselves. So when was the last time you invested in yourself? I am not talking about retirement planning or preparing to go on vacation. While both of those things certainly have a level of value to them, they are still dependent on one thing to be able to enjoy them — you.

When it comes to assessing their "worth" or "value", most people are quick to start discussing their stock portfolio, the amount of real estate they own, or the number of businesses they operate. It is an almost certain guarantee that their best asset, the one that no one else can claim as theirs, never even comes to mind. That asset is yourself, and it is the only true asset you will ever have — guaranteed. At a very young age, we were nurtured by our parents for our growth and development. Then when we were old enough to go to school, our teachers supplemented our lives with loads of information that some of us continued to grow either through furthering our education or going straight to work. As an adult, you and only you are now in charge of that growth. Education as they say never ends because life is a learning process. Yet when was the last time you picked up a book or took a course to actually better yourself, and not just for the enjoyment or escape?

What about the investment into your health? In today's technologically and medically advanced world, people suffer from many preventable ailments with the blind faith that simply taking a pill will make it all better. It can justifiably be argued that most people today take their health for granted. They resort to the mentality that "If it ain't broke, don't fix it", which unfortunately when it comes to the body, too little can sometimes be too late. The little investment that you can make daily to your body pays huge dividends.  And while good health is certainly not a guarantee, doing what you can, will make all the difference. So, what do you do to invest in your health? Exercise regularly? Eat healthy, unprocessed foods? Get regular check-ups?  No matter what it is, there just simply is no price that can be put on investing in your health.

How you choose to invest in yourself is just as unique as you as an individual. There are choices and options and you can only do what best suits you. That being said, following are a few suggestions you can make as an investment in yourself.

• Commit to a lifestyle of regular exercise and sensible, healthy eating. Exercise is a way of life, not a temporary mode to get in shape. Sure you can still enjoy life and indulge, but use those times as treats or rewards, not the norm.

• Go back to school. No, you don’t have to enroll in a full program. Learn a new language.  Study some history. Take a cooking or writing class. Seek out courses online or at the community college. The day you stop learning, you lose. Research has shown that the people who live the longest and stay the healthiest are usually those who never stop learning. Why can’t you be one of them?

• Instead of just reading, join a discussion group or book club. Meet with others and appreciate the different views people can share while reading the same thing.

• Get expert coaching or attend special self-improvement conferences. You are never too old to learning something, especially about yourself.

• Get involved in the community or a charity organization. The self-less giving of yourself for the betterment of others can pay huge dividends to your emotional spirit.

A little bit of effort accumulated over many weeks can truly change your life. It is vital that you continue to learn, grow, and invest for the one guarantee in life is change. Change is constant and everything that you have grown comfortable with is in danger of being obsolete. Take a look at technology or ponder what it takes to succeed today and how different it is from ten years ago. Bottom line is, you are your only true asset. Think of how the principles of compound interest and reinvested dividends pay off in your personal growth just as it does in financial growth. So keep on investing in your most priceless asset.  After all, your growth and success is completely up to you.