The act of tithing… giving 10% of your earnings to church, charity or ‘taxes’… is a practice that goes back to ancient times. David Chilton made millions by introducing a modern day twist on tithing through his book the Wealthy Barber. Chilton challenged people to ‘pay themselves first’ by putting aside 10% of their income into savings. Well, I’ve got a new challenge on tithing for anyone who’s in the knowledge economy: take 10% of your income and invest it into professional development. Here’s why:
The world is accelerating. I have a diploma in creative advertising that I earned in 1989. It’s pretty much useless. If I’d continued in that career path (world domination as a creative director at an ad agency), I’d be toast if I wasn’t continually upping my knowledge on the latest consumer trends and marketing tools. The fact that you took a semester program in your MBA on leadership isn’t going to make you a great leader. Forget it. I’ve been doing this for 25+ years and I’m still learning.
Your brand has a limited shelf life. Thanks to this frenetic pace of change, what made you a superstar last year in you role, may not be what the company is going to be looking for next year. You need to keep evolving… not just your skills but also your behaviours. In the age of collaboration, it’s all about EQ baby. Which leads to my next point…
Simple. You change. Who you are today is different than who you were 10 years ago. And if it’s not, then you’re on a quick path to personal atrophy. For leaders, in particular, your strength will always, always, always lie in the degree of self-insight you have. If you’re not investing in continually exploring that you are walking around with some MASSIVE blindspots that have the potential to derail you.
Personal development is not a one shot thing. Sure, completing college or university or even highschool is important. Education is important. But it doesn’t stop when you walk on stage in that cap and gown. We invest tens of thousands into our degrees and diplomas but when it comes to hiring a coach or taking a course we shudder. Education isn’t an expense it’s an investment. Reframe your thinking.
I really regret making myself smarter. Said no one, ever.
Now many peopl
e are fortunate enough to work for companies that will cover development programs but if you’re not one of the ‘lucky’ ones, then tithing 10% of your income for personal development is a must. Think about it… if you earn $100,000, you can do some KICK ASS programs for $10,000. You don’t even need to spend near that much!
I have invested thousands of dollars on myself over the years out of my own pocket. From coaches that charged $1000 a month to courses that cost $10,000. I can honestly say I have NEVER EVER EVER regretted any decision I made. Mostly because it was MY decision (which is different than when your company sends you on some gawd awful training program that you don’t need). I do things that keep me ‘sharp’ and that I’m interested in. For the last two years, I’ve taking a weekly meditation class. Right now I’m doing a certificate in Team and Group Coaching. In May, I’m going to attend the Work Human Conference. Add up the number of latte’s you buy in a year… I bet you can afford a pretty wicked development experience from that cost alone!
So, to keep your edge, keep investing in yourself. If you want some ideas on where to start, call us or check out our programs for leaders. Don’t you think you’re worth the investment? I do.
Happy leading!
