The best investments are not always financial returns. Bold Statement, but factual, as I am a firm
believer that the best investment you can make in life is that of investing in people. This does not always yield a financial return, as you are investing in a person or a group of people to enrich their lives, allowing them to utilize their newfound skills to benefit others. The best investments are passing knowledge forward, rather than letting those skills be lost to the grave. I derive great satisfaction from helping people craft their furnishings, such as tables and resin art pieces, through hands-on work. When I first started making tables, I knew nothing. I relied on online Guides. These people are now learning a new skill so they can teach others, which may generate personal wealth and enrich their lives.
Back in the day when I first got into making tables, I did not know anything. Still, I feel lucky as I had a great landlord who made that the best investment, financially, in me to get started in something new after suffering from a brain injury and other complications from a medical misadventure that I still struggle with to this day. This helped my personal growth as well as some peace of mind, knowing that I was learning a new skill, unaware that it would take me down a path of creativity and possibilities. So for that, I am eternally grateful. Now that I have been crafting amazing tables for over 12 years, I have gotten to a point where it is almost time for me to hand the reins over to someone else or close up shop.
Positives From Passing on Knowledge
My wife and I are both very hard workers who are grateful for what we have from the fruits of our labour as we explore other avenues that will hopefully generate passive income for the years to come. We invest in family first, educating children overseas so they can reach milestones that would not have been possible without our commitment. Once they obtain their qualifications, they can then support their family circle and enrich the lives of those close to them.
The same principle applies to me teaching the art of crafting with resin and timber to individuals who want to create lovely furnishings, as well as learn new skills that can generate income, foster personal growth, and bring peace of mind. My investment here is my time and knowledge, which many people say I should charge for to help out our situation. However, my standpoint on this is that some people give back to us in other ways, such as helping me achieve tasks that I struggle with. This, in itself, is a positive, as it allows our small company to continue making strides toward financial freedom. Mike, a local with a large workshop, has seen both the positives and some negatives of having my setup at his property as we work towards a common goal of crafting unique furnishings like no other. Now we are both investing in tooling that we desperately need, along with freeing up my workshop at home so I can use this as a shop for resin arts and crafts, as well as be able to run FREE classes to people that will in turn benefit my sales and personal growth. This is just another example of the benefits of investing in people.
Summary of Key Positives
- Investing in people makes the world a better place
- Passing knowledge of skills to others so they are not lost
- Knowing that you are enriching others' lives
- Helping others achieve their goals can go full circle as they help you
- Investing my time knowing that I can leave this world happy, that I have given to other people knowledge that they can pass on what I have taught them. This is a proactive positive investment
Let's face it, we are not here for a long time in the scheme of things, and I very much doubt that I will achieve all I want to do that will help others, as the financial ramifications seem too much. My ultimate goal would be to have a building that is divided into at least four areas where craftsmen and women can make a living, as well as give free lessons to help other people. A place where there is a community shop at the front selling the craftsmen's pieces, as well as being able to view how things are made, or take free classes to learn new skills. That is one thing our great country does not have, so if you are wanting to invest in a worthwhile project with little or no great financial return, please make contact, as we are all very talented people who have so much to pass on to future generations.
