There are so many ways to make incredible investments on the Internet. Apparently, these are supposed to be investments that bring huge profits. First of all, you shouldn’t ask anything.
In this post, I would like to present you one, proven in practice, risk-free investment (maybe apart from receiving more job offers). It may be a bit of a clickbait title. Still, I hope that you will achieve better results by hitting here than by investing your time and money in a very dubious and uncertain business.
Development as a way of investment
In my opinion, the best investment is our own development. It allows us to achieve better results, receives promotions, and increase our remuneration. Paradoxically, the best way to save money is to earn (while maintaining the current rate of living).
By investing in ourselves, we invest in our future. It is the best way I have found to invest so far. Share the information if you know anything even better. Hardly any investment in the market will overcome the 10-15% increase in wages that can be obtained in this way.
A way to develop
It’s best when the work we do allows us to develop. More precisely, during the creation of a given functionality, it is necessary to know a new thing and understand why it is done in a given way.
I’m not a supporter of overtime development related to my current job. For me, it’s a time for topics that I do not have at work daily, which will allow me to take a break from everyday problems. It is also worth remembering that rest from work is critical. It allows you to clean your mind and start another day with new ideas and energy.
Sometimes I hear that it is challenging to decide on something specific. I indicated a little about it in the Personal roadmap - find your way. It could be a career indicator. You don’t need to learn all the technologies right away. You can try to understand first those that are of great interest (for example, web3, decentralization, cybersecurity). Always try to start with a good understanding of the basics and build new technologies and concepts on their foundation.
Don’t be selfish
In pursuit of higher pay, try not to lose your personality. In the beginning, you will receive better offers and higher amounts very quickly. There will be a slightly smoother growth next. Don’t feel that you are not so valuable anymore. It is usual for the wage growth curve to flatten eventually.
Don’t forget the fact that you used to get started too. You didn’t know everything (and you still don’t know everything). It is worth trying to help others and learning at the same time.
It may turn out to be something you like to do, and you will find a new career path. Helping others can be a way to reconcile what you like to do with what translates into increased earnings, building your personal brand, and satisfaction with a job well done.
Humility is the key to success. Especially when you are just starting out. You have the impression that you already know everything. But in fact, you don’t even know what you don’t know. I will try to write more about it because it is a psychologically exciting topic.
Don’t try to prove, instead work systematically and limit your ego. You can read more about it in the article Get noticed at a new project. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, ask good questions, and reach conclusions.
Make sure you work in the right place
Work consumes a lot of time. We spend about a third or even more of our time at work during the day. Make sure it is not wasted time. For you, every minute you work should be worth as much as possible.
The sooner you start investing in yourself, the sooner you earn more. This translates into even better results, thanks to the power of compound interest.
However, avoid chasing money itself. Especially in the beginning, it will be more helpful to learn about technology, focus on learning, and deliver value. Money will be better if you can deliver more value to the company.
Look for people you can learn from. You may feel that you are an expert in a given company. In this case, it is worth considering a change of place to learn from others again. The more you can learn, the faster you can improve your skills as you use the knowledge of someone who has had to do it for quite possibly longer than you.
Avoid taking shortcuts
There are sure to be numerous offers that will give you a little more money. Will you learn there, and will there be someone to learn from? It may turn out that you will get a little more, but you will slow down your development significantly.
I personally always emphasize during recruitment that I am interested in exciting projects. Salary is important. However, when the project is tedious, working there will be more of a punishment than a place where I would like to spend part of my life.
Sometimes seemingly tragic projects are a good test ground where you can learn a lot. However, make sure that they do not drag you in like quicksand. Projects like this are suitable for a while, but then you have to look for something else.
Buying 100 courses on the training platform will do nothing if you do not complete them. It is better to focus on something really good quality, even if it will be costly. At least for me, the engagement effect is working. If something costs a lot, I want to end it so as not to feel that I have spent my money in vain.
Last advice
Take care of document your learning to track your progress. It can also be a motivation for you. Worse days always come, so remember that rest is your ally.
Sometimes pause for a moment to consider if you are going in the right direction. Avoid repeating the same experience multiple times. Instead, try to experience something new.
This way of investing is for everyone, but not everyone has to take advantage of it. For my side, I encourage you to think about it for a moment. Good luck and perseverance!