An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.

An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest. – Benjamin Franklin

Whether it’s from University, Trade School, or the School of Hard Knocks, Knowledge will pay you back with interest.

What does that mean?
As is often the case on Twitter, there is a longer version of this quote available: “If a man empties his purse into his head no man can take it from him. An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”

The longer version helps give context to the rest of the quote. It is talking about what to do with your money to protect it from those who might want to take it. The author of the quote suggests putting the money, which at the time was carried in what were called purses, into knowledge.

By doing that, the quote says you have not only safeguarded your money, but you have also given yourself something that will repay you with interest. So not only do you get your money back, but you get even more, that sounds like a good deal, and that is what he is trying to emphasize.

Why is knowledge important?  
Please note that I don’t want to infer that knowledge is only available in institutions of learning. There are many trades where you learn what you need while you practice at your job. On the job training or learning by experience are methods of investing in knowledge which are as old as humankind.

There are also books and the internet, which can produce a wealth of knowledge, if you select the correct sources. It can also get you in trouble if you select incorrectly. Sometimes knowledge comes from personal experience, or even by contemplation of a situation or a result.

However you go about investing in knowledge, be it your time, effort, money, or some combination of them, you will be repaid in direct proportion to the usefulness of the knowledge gained. If you invest yourself in a skill for which there is little use, it will take longer to repay yourself than if you had selected a skill in greater demand.

Where can I apply this in my life?
This is where it gets interesting. It depends on which portion of your life you wish to invest. If you are young, you would probably invest in career skills, so that you can support yourself when you enter the world as a self-supporting independent person.

If you already have that part of your life figured out, you might want to invest in hobby skills or other life skills where you either feel under-prepared or at which you wish to excel. What parts of your life are in need of a little more knowledge?

I went the University route, and have been paid back with more than just a little bit of interest. However, that’s because what I enjoyed doing and what I majored in were the same. It didn’t hurt that there was also a demand for engineers.

Since then, I have learned many things about relationships, marriages, raising kids, working on cars, building computers and all sorts of other things. Even before school, I learned to play games, eventually leading to chess and other strategy games. That hasn’t paid in money, but has given me many hours of enjoyment, so remember that not all payment is in cash.

Take a moment and consider what parts of you life could use a little investment. Are you looking for something new, or improving something you already know or do? Perhaps a new career or advanced training for your current career? The possibilities are endless.

Grab some paper and write a few of these down, and feel free to add new things as you find activities you like, or ideas come to mind. What aspect or aspects of your life will this knowledge improve, and by what amount? If you don’t know where you’re going, how will you know you have arrived, right?

Some types of knowledge can apply to more than one area in your life. consider a skill like time management. Think of all the different parts of your life which would return you interest if you were to become more knowledgeable in that field. Work, family, home, projects, there’s hardly an aspect of your life untouched by time management.

Select one of the items on your list for the purpose of this exercise, and remember you can always return to do another when you are so inspired. Where can you get the knowledge you seek? Is it online or in books? Will you need a mentor to guide you, or a professional class to help you earn interest on you investment?

What steps do you need to take to get from where you are to where you want to be. Take a moment and write down it down as a couple of big steps. Then look at the very first step, and break that down into smaller steps, which should be easier to manage.

Look for something you can do right away. Until you have taken action, it’s not real, it’s just an exercise on paper. When should you take that step, as soon as possible, right now would be best. The sooner you start, the sooner the project becomes real in your mind.

Enjoy your life, but never forget to invest in your most valuable asset, yourself. Knowledge will pay for itself, if you select wisely. Some investments will pay you back in money, others in various pleasures. But not until you have first invested. What are you waiting for?

From: Twitter, @GreatestQuote
confirmed at : http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/b/benjaminfr141119.html
Photo by jameskm03

Happy Birthday to Benjamin Franklin, born 17 January, 1706.