I wish someone talked to me about this 3 years ago… and honestly, chances are someone did. I just wasn’t listening.
So, here’s my story and what I wish I heard several years ago. And since humor has a way of landing a point, here’s a meme that would have woken me up:
I invested in a 401k and Roth IRA for years before I invested in “myself”. Investing in “myself” just felt wrong.
As a Christian, it felt icky to invest in “myself”… spending money to invest in my health, business coaching, or skills felt like I was being selfish.
So here’s the answer. It depends. It can be selfish to invest in yourself.
But the mistake I made was assuming it was always selfish to do that.
And I was wrong. For at least 3 reasons:
1. Spending money on anything at any amount can be selfish
Whether it’s a $1 purchase or a $1,000 purchase, the motivation matters more than the amount invested.
Inversely, not spending $1 or not spending $1,000 can be honorable or selfish depending on the motivation. Remember the story of the widow’s offering? (Mark 12:41-44).
The key question I missed was what’s the ultimate “why” behind the purchase?
2. Investing money reveals what we care about
Whether it’s a 401k, HSA, Roth IRA, health, business coaching, skills, a home, family, or church, our investment dollars tell the actual story on what we actually care about.
Put another way – “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).
The key question I missed was am I stewarding my investments towards the duties God has given me?
3. I thought I was avoiding the being selfish, but I was secretly being proud
I avoided business coaching for 3 years due to this exact reason… 3 whole years!
Stubbornly, I spun my solo wheels for years. I started Layman’s Fitness in 2021, and it wasn’t until May of 2024 where I admitted I needed help and invested in business coaching. And just 3 months later I was able to quit my full-time job.
I made more progress in 3 months than I did in 3 years once I got help.
Put another way – “Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor” (Proverbs 18:12)
The key question I missed was what was the reason I didn’t want to invest?
If I stared long enough into that question, I probably would have seen my pride.
Hope this serves.
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