Hardwood Floors February/March 2019

S P O N S O R E D C O N T E N T

A Personal Investment in Education

make the investment to educate myself by putting in the time and effort it takes to be an expert in my field, I will undoubtedly separate myself from everyone else. This drive to better myself to be the best I can be will stand out amongst others in my business and make me a force that any company would want on their team. And just like any return on investment, the value I place on my education will help me develop confidence and passion, which companies find extremely valuable and in turn will pay more for. I am amazed at the difference between average people and exceptional people. I see it every day, and I am sure you do too. There are people who really know their business, and then there are others who are simply skating by and know just enough to get through the day. When it comes to business, you naturally want to work with those who know their craft like the back of their hand because you are more confident that they will deliver you a quality product or service. Anyone

What does education mean to you? For most of us, it was something we did because we had to and we couldn’t wait for the day when it was over so our “real lives” could start. Most of the time, education was just hard work that wasn’t particularly fun and didn’t give us any sort of satisfaction.

I am here to tell you that furthering your education, whether you are a recent high school graduate or a senior executive of a Fortune 500 company, is the most important investment you can make. It’s an investment in yourself and how you want to live your life. Education is not about short-term goals; it’s about the long term. It’s about focusing on how we can prepare ourselves to enjoy our lives 10 years from now. How do we do this? Money may not be able to buy you happiness, but it can certainly support it. It can bring you the kind of happiness that comes from being able to provide for a family or being financially stable enough to travel the world. Making the decision of continuing your education may cost you a few

more years of learning in a classroom, on the job, or in an online setting, but there is a legitimate payout frommaking the time investment. As the Vice President of a leading hardwood flooring distributor in the Mid-Atlantic region, I can assure you that while companies are willing to pay for good people, they are willing to pay a lot more for great people. The kind of people who are truly knowledgeable about what they do. The type of people who put advancing their knowledge above everything else. Here is how I think about education: it’s simply an investment – an investment in myself. It’s an investment in myself that only I can make. If I’mwilling to

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