Someone once told me, "don't waste time trying to save 30 bucks when you could be spending that time thinking about how to make 30,000."

My cousin and I reflected on two parallel experiences.

Last fall, I overpaid when I bought a last minute flight to San Francisco to go to SF Tech Week. The purposes of this trip was purely educational and networking related. I was very out of my comfort zone and pushing myself to make the most of my few short days there. I ended up getting immersed in the tech space very quickly.

My cousin, also booked a last minute flight to attend a conference for his industry. 48 hours and a very go-go-go experience.

The result:

The knowledge I gained led me to learn more about the tech space, how to create and execute a good pitch + pitch deck, a network to ask questions and stay inspired by (ultimately this comes from within but nice to have connections that inspire you), mentors and the biggest monetary one of all, landing a tech role that paid more than my previous job. Never in my wildest dreams or when I booked that trip did I think it could amount to me landing a role. That 1K+ investment repaid its dividends because of the experiences, in-depth knowledge and interests that event created.

My cousin established business contacts and built clientele which has already turned into revenue, creating an ROI. He gained knowledge about doing business in that state, fulfilled orders and created more touch points abroad.

The lesson: pick your losses strategically. Don’t try to win every battle, because you could ultimately lose the war (and miss out on opportunities). Think big, not in fear. Unlearn the immigrant mindset and be risk seeking while you’re young. You’re actually more creative. Depending on how you view money the opportunity cost/risk of investments into yourself could become an ROI & an experience or just an expense that may not need to be taken. Experiences can open your brain and world to more opportunities depending on your perspective.