When you hear the word “investment,” one of the first things that probably comes to your mind are the stock market, debt securities, or real estate investments. However, there’s something more important that you should invest in first and foremost: yourself.
When you invest in yourself, you become more aware of your potential and your capacity to leverage that potential and turn it into strengths. In turn, you can capitalise on your strengths as you find even more ways to improve your talents and skills. Ultimately, you’ll be able to reach bigger goals and make a more significant impact in the professional arenas in which you operate.
It’s a good thing that in Singapore, there’s SkillsFuture, a national movement focused on providing personal development and self-education opportunities to every Singaporean. Through SkillsFuture, everyone can continue improving themselves through holistic education and training.
What’s even better is that your age or background doesn’t matter. Whether you’re young, middle-aged, or in your golden years, there’s a SkillsFuture course that can help you master a variety of skills.
Some Skills Future courses you may want to take include the following:
- Starting an Online Business
- Coding for All
- Introduction to Data Science
- Basic Accounting Essentials for Non-Finance Individuals
- Advanced Communication Strategies
- Brand Yourself Online
- Graphic Design Basics
That said, here are a few more compelling reasons to take SkillsFuture courses:
You Can Earn More
When you continuously learn new skills or improve ones you already have, you’ll have more opportunities to earn or make more money. Indeed, a lot of people invest in personal development as an initial step towards becoming more financially capable.
With what you’ve learned through SkillsFuture, you can start or grow your own business. If you’re an employee, then you’ll have more leverage to ask for a raise. New or improved skills can also make you feel more motivated, thus increasing your drive to achieve your goals. The end result? Greater financial freedom.
You Become More Marketable
In relation to the previous point, learning new skills helps create more opportunities for yourself. If you’re looking for a job and aren’t having much success, perhaps you should take a couple of SkillsFuture courses before you submit an application again.
It can seem counterintuitive at first, as the courses have corresponding learning fees, but it’s actually one of the basic principles of business: if you want to make money, you have to spend money. In this case, you’re spending money on and for yourself.
The more skills you have and develop, the more you will stand out to potential employers or clients, thereby increasing your opportunities to earn.
You Become More Confident
Confidence is an important trait to have. When doing your job or running your business, you can make better decisions because you trust your own judgement. You’re also able to communicate more effectively. When interacting with others, you’ll be able to establish rapport and develop stronger connections. And even when you’re working alone, you won’t feel awkward or have the need for validation.
All of these can help you feel more comfortable and self-assured in your own skin—which others around you will notice. This can further contribute to your self-confidence like it’s a closed loop system. Through SkillsFuture courses, you can continuously build your confidence and somehow make it easier for you to navigate your personal and professional lives.
You Can Be Future-Proof
As the saying goes, the only thing constant in life is change. Indeed, today’s fast-paced world changes so quickly that you’ll be left behind if you don’t make the effort to learn new things. Take social media platforms, for example. The algorithms they use to populate their users’ feeds get tweaked regularly to create a more personalised experience.
If you’re a brand practitioner or a data analyst, you should always stay updated about these algorithm changes. Otherwise, your target market will have a hard time seeing or accessing your content, and you’ll have fewer opportunities to convert.
Taking SkillsFuture courses can help you stay relevant, no matter what industry you’re in. If you constantly upgrade and upskill yourself, you’re making yourself future-proof and more valuable.
You Will Feel More Fulfilled
There are many things from which you can derive satisfaction in life: a delicious meal, a vacation in your dream destination, or even just a couple of hours doing your hobbies. Success can also make you feel satisfied, especially when you see how far you’ve come. Here, personal development makes a huge contribution.
When you invest in self-learning, you equip yourself with the necessary skills to progress in any endeavour you undertake. Every time you reach a milestone, whether it’s for your job or your personal pursuits, you’ll feel that sense of accomplishment. Ultimately, this increases your satisfaction in the things you achieve and makes you feel more fulfilled.
When you invest in self-development through learning, you’re not just setting yourself up for professional growth; you’re also helping your personal life flourish. With this kind of well-rounded success, you can find more meaning in all the things you do.
As you can see, there’s so much more you can attain from a SkillsFuture course. Consider enrolling in one and see how big of a difference it can make in your life!
