The Best Investment

What is the very best investment? Which investment guarantees the

highest ROI (Return onInvestment)? Given the worsening economic
.conditions in the world, this is an extremely important question

The experts, of course, constantly change their advice. Many

proclaimed that the stock market was the best investment– providingthe
best returns over time. They recommended diversified mutual funds as
a sure –bet long- term investment. Now the stock market has crashed,
.and all those people with mutual funds are in serious trouble

Other experts recommended real estate. “Buy, buy, buy”, they said!
These geniusesgave advice such as “Your home is your best asset” (it’s
not an asset at all usually). Now the housing market has crashed, and
millions of people are in trouble– as are the banks that lent them the
.money

At the moment, metals and commoditiesare looking like good

investments– especially with the recent big drop in prices. Probably,
these are good long-term investments at the moment. However, this is
.not the best investment

There is one investment which is always superior. There is one

investment that always pays very high returns. There is one investment
.that always beats all others

?What is it? Where are Tomoe and I putting most of our own extra dollars

. The answer: Learning. Education

The best investment is always learning. Learning new skills, acquiring

new knowledge, gaining new mental, physical, and emotional resources–
!these investments cannot be beat

When most people have extra money, what do they usually do? Well,
most people buy “toys” and luxuriesfirst. For example, if they get a
raise at work, they promptly buy a bigger house, and/or a more expensive
car. They also tend to buy new stereos, new TVs, and lots of other new
.”“toys

Those who are more investment-oriented, which is a small minority, will

first buy investments– usually stocks of some kind. A few might buy rental
.real estate or another kind of standard investment

But how many people spend first on education? There are many people,
for example, who will buy a $30,000 car happily– andthen complain about
the price of a $3000 seminar. Yet the seminar is far more likely to
enhance their business, career, and overall life than an expensive car
.)(which is, after all, just a status symbol
 Last year, Tomoe and I spent more money on education than on anything
else. We attended three Tony Robbins seminars and enrolledin two more.
We attendedtwo Language teaching workshops. We enrolled in a
financial coaching program. We joined an internet marketing coaching
program. We joined a life coaching program. We bought a large number of
CD courses, DVD programs, and books. We also attended an
.Entrepreneur Meetup Group… and a Web-Entrepreneur group

We went to Guatemala and studied Spanish intensively for a week. We

took a cooking class in Mexico. We took a jewelry class in Mexico as well
.)(and made a couple of silver rings

We did this because we know that resourcefulness, knowledge, and

.skills are investments that always come back to us

I know, as a businessman, that what I learned last year will transform my

business and increase our profits faster than any stock, real estate
property, or other standard investment. In fact, I know absolutely that
specific ideas and skills I learned led to specific changes to our business-
.which produced measurable increases in sales and profit

I know, for example, that I paid about $3500 for the internet marketing
coaching program– thenused what I learned in the first month to increase
our monthly income by $5000. In other words, the program paid for itself
in less than a month… and now we will continue getting that extra $5000
for years and years and years. I know of no other investment that pays
.that kind of return

Other learning investments pay less obvious, but still powerful, returns.
For example, as a teacher, I’m always observing the methods and
techniques of the teacher-leader in any class, workshop, or seminar I take.
I always learn something from them that improves my own teaching &
leading (even if it’s what to avoid doing). My improved leadership skills
.translate into improved business for our company

This is true for you too. It’s true for everyone. Invest in education first.
Spend $10,000 on seminars before you spend it on a car or bigger house.
.Spend $500 on an audio course before you spend it on a new TV

Whether you are focused on your career as an employee, or you are a

business owner, there is no greater investment than your own learning.
Improve your knowledge and skills. Improve your resourcefulness and
.emotional mastery. Improve your motivation and attitude

What you learn can never be taken away. Markets crash and everything
.can be lost– but skills and knowledge stay with you all of your life

Always make learning your first and most important investment. If you
still have extra money after that– then invest in savings, a business,
stocks, real estate, or commodities. And if you still have extra money
”after that – then and only then buy “toys
As a final note– there is nothing wrong with “toys” and bigger houses. Just
be sure to invest intelligently in your own learning first– before you
!spend on anything else

New Words

Word Meaning Sentenc

1 guarantees ‫يضمن أو يكفل‬
2 the worsening ‫يجعله أسوأ‬
3 Proclaim ‫يصرح‬, ‫يعلن‬, ‫يدعى‬
4 Diversified ‫منوع أو مشكل‬
‫ينوع أو يشكل‬
Diversity
5 mutual ‫ مشترك‬, ‫متبادل‬
6 fund ‫أموال‬
Mutual Fund ‫صندوق استثمارى‬
7 Bet ‫ راهن‬, ‫قامر‬

All Bets Are off ‫ل يمكن التخمين به‬

8 real estate ‫ممتلكات أو عقارات‬
9 geniuses ‫عبقرى‬
10 commodities ‫بضائع أو سلع‬
11 Beats , ‫ ضرب‬, ‫ دق‬, ‫ انتصر‬, ‫هزم‬
‫قرع‬
Beat the record
‫حطم رقما قياسيا أو أحرز‬
Beat A retreat
‫تراجع مهزوما‬
retreat
‫منهزم أو منسحب‬
12 toys ‫ دمية‬, ‫لعبة‬
13 luxuries ‫ تبذير‬, ‫ رفاهية‬, ‫ترف‬
14 minority ‫القلية‬
15 happily ‫سعيد‬, ‫ مبتهج‬, ‫محظوظ‬
16 enrolled ‫يسجل‬
17 attended ‫يحضر‬
18 Entrepreneur ‫ مقاول‬, ‫رجل أعمال‬
19 Class struggle ‫صراع طبقى‬

Struggle ‫ نزاع‬, ‫ يناضل‬, ‫يكافح‬

Struggle on ‫يستمر بالعمل رغم الصعوبات‬

Meet up ‫يلتقى صدفة‬

Meet the case ‫يلئم الحالة‬

More than meets ‫فى المر أكثر مما هو ظاهر‬

the Eye
‫يصل لنهاية عصيبة‬
Meet a sticky end
‫ يقدم‬, ‫نلتقى فى منتصف الطريق‬
Meet A halfway ‫تنازلت لعمل تسويه‬
20 Resourceful ‫عنده سعه حيلة‬

21 Obvious ‫واضح‬

State the Obvious ‫لم يضف شيئا جديدا على ما قيل‬

22 mastery ‫اتقان‬
23 Intelligently ‫عقلنى‬

intelligent ‫ذكى‬
24 Crashed ‫انهار‬

Crash Land ‫هبوط اضطرارى‬

Crash helmet ‫خوذه المان‬

Crash course ‫تدريب مركز‬

Crash Barrier ‫حاجز لحصر الجمهور‬