Want to know more about yourself and what you believe in?  Then follow the money, because the real currency follows the emotional currency.

Presented with a choice, someone asked me, between a low-cost supplier and one who was more expensive but demonstrated they had your best interests in mind – who would you choose?

No contest, hands down, I would choose the one I trusted and felt confident about working with.  Even if it cost me more, it would be worth it.  My supplier would see I put a lot of stock in myself and that I expect others to do the same.  That telegraphs an important message.

I watched this happen regularly in the corporate world.  Those with an awareness of their internal value received more compensation and better perks in the external world.  Knowing you have a lot of internal capital doesn’t mean you go around blowing money.  Rather it means getting value for your dollar and always looking for quality.

Early in my working career, I found a green suede pantsuit hanging on a store rack.  It was just my size and I loved it but when I checked the tag it killed the buzz.

My mother said, “Buy it and enjoy it.  Each time you wear it, divide the number of times worn into the cost, and eventually you’ll find it was cheaper than most other clothes you’ve purchased.”

She was right.

Every time I wore my fabulous green suede pantsuit, I felt like a million dollars.  I got a lot of miles out of that pantsuit – and it told the world this woman has something to say (like which dry-cleaner does a good job on suede).  You know that feeling when you’re dressed right!

When they say, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” they’re actually talking about your money, not what a good time you had.  I’m just saying.  You can’t go through life like it’s a roulette wheel, putting down a few chips and hoping your number comes up – dropping a bit of yourself here, a bit there.  That’s not where the big returns are and that’s not investing in you –  it’s just a gamble.

Real wins, real gains, real investment in yourself, in your personal growth and ultimately your financial security comes not from something outside us, but from deep within.

Never expect others to be the source of your wealth; you’ll be disappointed. You’re much better off getting to know yourself and making a real investment in what you were created to do.

At PotashCorp, we had the best returns when we invested in our core business and worked to improve in areas where we had already done well.  You can do the same.

Lasting returns come from growing your inner value. Sometimes that requires you to hear that call from somewhere deep down inside that challenges you to follow your talent and temporarily sacrifice your security.

That’s what happened when I left my corporate job. I had to take a leap of faith and believe in myself.

Always be sure to invest in who you are.  Find your green pantsuit of life.  Now that works for sure!