Where to Invest?

Usually when people think of Investment, they think in terms of monetary gains. They ask questions like "If i invest X amount in this opportunity, how much shall i get in return?", "How can i make my money grow 10% in a year?",etc,etc. Today, the list of instruments to invest in is virtually endless...from bank deposits to stocks to real estate investment to Exchange Traded Funds and to even complex derivatives like Index Futures, almost all products are available to invest in for retail investors like you and me and that too at the simple click of a mouse ! Amazing isnt it?

Ofcourse Money is very important. But easy access to and a wide product variety creates confusion due to lack of proper knowledge and might create frustration if your decisions go wrong. The Question is "Are monetary gains the only success criteria in Investment?" I dont think so if you look at Investment from a different angle that is. The concept is simple to understand but might be difficult to implement.

If you want to be really successfuly in Life, Invest more in YOURSELF. By "Invest", i dont necessarily mean only in terms of money. It can be just your Time.
Invest to get a good education, Invest to upgrade your skills and get a broader and matured view of the world around you. Invest for a better health for you and your family. Go for a Jog outside if you can't afford going to the Gym ! Invest your time and energy to make relationships stronger. Invest time in Listening to Yourself. Invest in ways to enhance your beauty (get atleast 8 hours sleep per day and drink more water; its for free isnt it? ! )

These "Investments" shall give you "returns" that are not clearly "measurable" (we have a bad tendency to measure everything in terms of money !) but immensely beneficial for a healthy mind, body, and peaceful living. This is the biggest dividend that any investment can give you. And this matters more than just a hefty bank balance. I think most of you would agree on this. Happy Investing ;-)