If someone asks what your most valuable asset is, your answer might be your house, vehicle, or investment portfolio. But there’s another answer to this question that’s worth considering – yourself.

As you seek out opportunities to increase the value you bring to the table both in your personal and professional life, here are some ideas.

• Meet one new person each week. Research shows that up to 85% of workers land a new job through networking. In other words, who you know may be more important than what you know. Consider expanding your network and potential job prospects by meeting someone new in your industry, or a related industry, each week.
• Learn a complimentary skill. This will help you create meaningful points of difference that you bring to the table every day. For instance, if you’re an engineer, learn how to be a better writer. If you’re a marketing executive, consider taking finance and accounting courses. Or consider becoming an expert in an area of interest to help you land a complimentary job or meet people with similar interests.
• Increase awareness about yourself. You may be the best in the world at what you do, but if companies don’t know you exist, you’ll never get better opportunities! Joining an online forum related to your industry and finding opportunities to volunteer and help other people is one way to increase awareness about yourself to prospective employers.
• Aim for a personal best in your favorite activity. Get in shape (and stay in shape!) by picking your favorite activity and aiming to achieve a personal best. If you’re a runner or a walker, for example, pick a time that would be a personal best for completing a set distance, then work toward achieving that goal. Taking care of your physical and mental health will help you accomplish more in every other area of your life.
• Improve your interpersonal communication. Think about the most important relationships in your life – whether it’s with your parents, spouse, children, best friends, or someone else – and find three ways you can improve your communication skills with those people. With the time, money, and education that many spend to improve their professional skills, consider a small investment to improve your interpersonal skills.