“If you think the price of education is expensive, try ignorance.”
When most people think about the idea of “investment” it’s in the context of stocks, bonds, mutual funds and so on. We naturally default to viewing investment as something that manifests and grows externally. And also has a numerical tag to it.
But this only really represents financial capital. “Investment” is more than that. It’s also about growing your human capital. This captures the knowledge, habits and attributes that help an individual to create more and produce economic value. It’s the essence of building your career. Much of this might come through a formal university education. But it doesn’t have to. Career coaching, for example, can help steer you onto the right path.
The value of education
Let’s face it, we’re in an era of skyrocketing university fees and graduates saddled with crushing student loan debt. University isn’t a viable option for many lower-income families. But that doesn’t mean that investing in your future through education has to stop.
It simply means finding a route that gives you the best return on your investment (your time, money and energy). And that doesn’t matter whether it’s a Liberal Arts degree or a more vocational course.
It’s all about what you get out of what you put in. For some people that could mean being more employable. For others, it could mean the sheer joy of learning a skill.
Whether we are talking about human capital or financial capital, at the end of the day it’s all about improving your quality of life over the long term. So being a life-long learner can just as easily improve your worth in a similar fashion to putting your money to work at a young age and watching it compound. A career coach can help you get clear on whatever area you think you needs more focus and direction.