Hip Hop Wisdom Lesson #2: Invest in Yourself

LeBron James, an NBA legend, often estimated that he spent over $1,000,000 (USD) annually on his body alone to prepare for basketball season. That’s betting on yourself at its finest. And after playing more than twenty years in ‘The League’, LeBron broke many records, including the illustrious scoring title.

The King, as he is known in the media, played against basketballers that weren’t even born when he was first drafted in 2003 and was better than most of them. If there is such a thing as luck, LBJ created his own.

To achieve any amount of success in life, especially in the Hip Hop community, investing in self is necessary. Hip Hop’s success is actually rooted in entrepreneurs that took their careers in their own hands and risked it all to make a name for themselves and create jobs for others.

Sure, there are some situations you can point to and say it didn’t work out; however, failure cannot be achieved where there is a lack of effort. The key to achievement is, even in failure, to continue to work at what it is that you have faith in. Have you ever heard of the phrase, “Faith without works is dead?”

Well, your plan is dead if you do not invest the resources necessary to come out on top. Investing in something does not always have to be attached to a dollar amount. Putting money into an endeavor is just one piece of the puzzle. There are many other things you can do to invest in yourself besides forking over large sums of capital.

When it comes to investing in self, never expect anyone to do anything you have not already done or willing to do for yourself. No one will ever take you seriously if you cannot provide proof of any type of self backing. The universe does not work like that, and neither do seasoned business people. Always reflect what it is that you want.

The list below provides some ideas as to how you can invest in yourself and achieve your goals:

• Work diligently and save your money

• Create a detailed business plan for yourself

• Put in the necessary time to reach your goal (sweat equity)

• Seek mentorship

• Volunteer in the field of your choice

• Help others in your industry

• Collaborate with like minded people

• Pursue internships

• Learn as much as you can from all sources

• Think innovatively

• Drink plenty of water

• Live a healthy lifestyle

• Exercise regularly

• Practice good hygiene

• Groom yourself regularly