MONEY, MONEY, MONEY (3 of 3) by Darren Hardy

In the last post I promised to give you an investment tip of a lifetime. Ready for it?

I received this investment tip originally from Brian Tracy more than 15 years ago and it has produced a personal ROI (Return On Investment) of many millions of dollars.





This was the pitch Brian gave me:

“For every $1 you invest in ___________________, it will return $30 to your bottom line.”

That’s 30 to 1!

Even if you are the most experienced investor, where can you get a nearly guaranteed 3000% (or greater, depending on your allocation) on your money?

Compare it to these investment returns over the past several years:

S&P 500: 1.65%

Dow Jones Industrial: 29.49%

Real Estate: -19.47

Bonds: 8.19%

U.S. Treasury: 16.36%

3000% looks better, eh?

Okay, here’s the “insider” investment tip:
 
Invest in YOU… and your greater personal development.

I’m not just being clever here. I’m serious (and so was Brian).

This is what Jim Rohn taught me long ago:
 
“Income seldom exceeds personal development.”

Therein lies the key to growing your income—growing yourself.

Let me explain and then I will give you the investment formula Brian Tracy gave to me 15 years ago that earned me millions…

Here is how this works: The level of success we experience in our outer world is simply the mirror reflection of our self-identity and personal development of our inner world. Period.

Let me use the analogy of a thermostat to make this make sense. Thermostats have what is called a set point—the set temperature of the room. Now no matter what happens outside, hot or cold, the thermostat will kick on the heat or the air conditioner to bring the temperature back to that set point.

Inside of each of us is also a set point. This is your current level of self-worth or personal development. No matter what happens outside you (temporary financial windfall, finally lose those 20 lbs., marriage going well) you will always adjust back (sabotage) to your set points. We ALL do this.

Simply put, you will only ever have, be, do or maintain on the outside what matches your inside set points—your personal development.

When you raise your set points/personal development (self-identity, mindset, attitude, philosophy, skills and abilities), everything in your life will be raised with them.

This is why Jim gave us these pivotal instructions:

“If you want to have more, you have to become more.
 
For things to change, you have to change.
 
For things to get better, you have to become better.”

“If you improve, everything will improve for you.
 
If you grow, your money will grow; your relationships, your health, your business and every external effect will mirror that growth in equal correlation.”

The Multimillionaire Investment Formula

This is the critical investment plan Brian Tracy taught me 15 years ago. He said, of course take 10% of everything you earn and tithe it to help other people. Then take another 10% and use it to help yourself—invest it in your greater personal development.

When I earned $150,000 as a teenager, it was $15,000 to spend on my greater personal development, which I did. At $500,000, that’s $50,000 to spend, which I did. At over a million, that’s over $100,000 to spend, which I have done many times. This is why you see world-class achievers hiring world-class personal coaches, advisors and mentors. It truly is the most profitable investment you can make—I can vouch for that.

“If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him. An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.” —Benjamin Franklin

Essentially, training, coaches and other personal development materials are FREE. If they help you earn more and become more than you would have without them, they effectively pay for themselves AND give you a multiple on your money (30X by Brian’s estimate).

When evaluating the investment in your personal development, don’t ask what it costs. Instead ask what is it worth—in increased health, wealth, happiness and success. Never begrudge the money you spend on your personal development. The best investment you can ever make is the investment in YOU… and your greater development.

Here is my final appeal to have you invest more in you: if you have big goals, dreams and ambitions I encourage you make sure the size of your personal development investment matches the size of your goals—if you are serious about achieving them. Otherwise, they might remain just frustrating fantasies.

How do you invest in your personal development? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

*S&P 100 INDEX (^OEX) 10-01-2001 – 10-21-2011
*Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) 10-01-2001 – 10-21-2011
*Investors Real Estate Trust (IRET) 10-01-2001 – 10-21-2011
*Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND) April 2007 – 10-21-2011
*T. Rowe Price US Treasury Long-Term (PRULX) Sept 2001 – 10-21-2011