I frequently read and enjoy blog posts from Michael Hyatt, who is the former chairman and CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers and a talented and insightful writer. In addition to his own posts, Hyatt routinely allows carefully selected guest authors to publish on his blog. He recently shared a guest post by Ryan J. Ferrier, a successful entrepreneur who gives some tips for investing… in yourself.
Ferrier shares a biblical model for success based on Luke 2:52, “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” This short verse offers a small glimpse into the life of Jesus and reveals four areas in which he grew:
- Mentally and emotionally (wisdom)
- Physically (stature)
- Spiritually (favor with God)
- Relationally (favor with men)
Ferrier encourages readers to invest accordingly in their own lives:
- Invest in your mind
- Invest in your body
- Invest in your spirit
- Invest in your relationships
This is nothing new – we’ve probably all heard this same advice dozens of times, but I believe there is an underlying foundational concept here that you shouldn’t miss: the critical necessity of keeping a balance of all four areas. If you neglect just one of these key areas, the other areas suffer as well. Your overall sense of wellbeing and fulfillment quickly deteriorates. If you don’t take care of your body, your mental focus and effectiveness inevitably declines. If you fail to nurture your relationships, you’ll undoubtedly experience a negative emotional impact. If you don’t feed yourself spiritually, peace and security fades and stress and tension creep in.
In order to live a successful and fulfilling life, you must focus on what is most important to your overall wellbeing. As always, the key is balance. If you push yourself too hard in one area and neglect another, the fulfillment you’re seeking will remain elusive.
Ferrier concludes his post by sharing some examples of how he invests in these four key areas in his own life, and he again emphasizes the importance of being “whole” – putting all of who you are into your pursuits; “If we commit to being whole people, nothing will stand in our way.”
How about you, are you investing in your whole self? Don’t neglect any of these four key areas – they’re all essential to your success and fulfillment! Examine this list and your life. Take the necessary steps to keep these areas in balance:
- Mind
- Body
- Spirit
- Relationships
To read the full post by Ryan J. Ferrier titled “4 Ways to Pour Yourself into Your Pursuits,” visit Michael Hyatt’s blog by clicking here.
