Transform Your Life in One Year!

Unleash your potential with this guide to personal transformation, illustrated by colorful origami symbolizing growth and change. By Alex Birch

When people hear the word investment, they often think of stock markets, squiggly lines on charts, red and green candles, and corporate jargon. But the term investment stretches far beyond financial assets. In fact, you make investments every single day, often without even realising it. But the question is: Are you making the right investments?

When you sit in bed and open TikTok, or lounge on the sofa watching TV, you’re making an investment. You’re making an unconscious decision that, at that moment, the best thing you can do with your time is to consume that content. This is an investment of your time because it has an opportunity cost, what you could have done instead, and a perceived benefit, entertainment and relaxation.

Right now, by reading this blog, you’re investing your time into improving yourself, because you believe (correctly!) that it’s a valuable use of your time.

Once you start thinking of your actions as investments rather than unimportant habits, your life will begin to change for the better.

Here are some alternative investments you can make with your time, and why they’re so important:

1. Picking Up a New Hobby

Picking up a new hobby may sound like cliché advice, but it’s a massively misunderstood investment. A hobby isn’t just a way to pass time, it’s a gateway to new opportunities.

For example, let’s take martial arts. Investing your time in martial arts doesn’t just improve your health (arguably one of life’s most important pillars); it also introduces you to new people, potential mentors, and even future business partners. After a few years, you might have enough experience to start teaching your own martial arts class, forging new connections with students, assistant instructors, and the community. That’s a potential new income stream, even if it’s just once a week!

And it doesn’t stop there. You’ll develop leadership, communication, teamwork, and even first aid skills (often required to run your own class).

And that’s just one example! Other hobbies could bring you equally valuable benefits, like writing books about your hobby, selling handmade crafts, or creating online content around your passion. The possibilities are endless.

2. Attending Networking Events

Every successful person will tell you: your network is your net worth. Networking events aren’t just formal meetups labeled “networking.” They include any gathering where like-minded people come together, university societies, local clubs, language classes, community workshops, and more. These events are all opportunities to grow your network, share ideas, and find collaborators.

3. Learning a New Skill

This might be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about “alternative investments,” but learning a new skill is a powerful investment in your future. It’s directly transferable to your CV and enhances your quality of life through cultural capital.

Cultural capital is a sociological term referring to the social assets a person holds, such as education, connections, intellect, and experiences. People with higher cultural capital often find more opportunities for success, as the journey of acquiring these assets opens doors and builds confidence.

The connections you make while learning, and the opportunities those connections bring, are invaluable.

The list could go on, but brainstorming what works best for you is of course your department;

Good luck, and have fun!