Did you know that being unselfish can actually be selfish?

Before I confuse myself and you, let me explain. I used to think that by never spending money on myself or taking time for myself, I was being unselfish. I thought that because I have family that depends on me financially, anything I spent for "me" would be a waste.

I was completely wrong.

Do you know your most important asset? Your home? Nope. Your car? Nope. Your most important asset is you. Yes, you.

Without you, you don't have an income. Without you, your parents don't have a child. You are a producer, and if you're not 100% then how can you produce at 100%? Assets support cash flow. You are your most important asset. You need cash flow to prosper and pay your bills. But are you taking the time to nurture and protect your most valuable asset? If you're like I used to be, probably not.

Here are seven practical ways to protect and grow your most valuable asset: You.

1. Get more sleep. Tonight.

This is hands-down the fastest and simplest way to improve your productivity. With enough sleep each night, you won't need to down those 3 cups of coffee just to get going in the morning. With the right amount of sleep your body property handles food processing. You're less cranky. You're more creative. Take a look here and here for great sleep tips.

2. Cut draining relationships

Relationships are a two-way street. Sometimes they are life-giving and refreshing, other times they are life-draining and depressing. Good healthy relationships go both ways. If you're constantly dealing with relationships that are life-draining and you're not a counselor by trade, it's time to cull your list of friends.

Is dropping friends harsh? Yes, but again, taking care of yourself is not selfish. If you're worn down by numerous draining relationships, what will happen when one of your healthy relationships actually needs you? You'll be too drained to help. Cultivate healthy relationships and cut back on the draining ones.

3. Never skimp on insurance

To be able to produce at a high level, you cannot be concerned with factors outside your control. Insurance may be costly, but the peace of mind it provides (Automotive, Health, Life, Property) can provide you with a huge return on your money.

While the cost of insurance is important, your focus should be “how will this improve my ability to produce more income?” Insurance is about transferring risk. The more risk you can transfer away from yourself, the better you will sleep at night and the more productive you will be.

4. Fuel yourself properly

The biggest problem for many hard workers is fuel. It's not that we don't eat. It’s that we don't eat well. We stock up on coffee, Red Bull and fast food to make it through the day. Eating balanced and healthy meals will not only make you feel better, you'll live longer as well.

Lifehack has a fantastic list of over 100 quick and healthy meals. Now you have no excuse. Fueling yourself properly is both a short and long term investment in your MVA (most valuable asset).

5. ABL. Always Be Learnin'

When you begin to view yourself as your most valuable asset, your mindset changes dramatically. One area that changed dramatically for me personally was in the area of education. I used to feel guilty about buying a fantastic new business book, or wanting to go to a thousand dollar conference. No more.

Investing in yourself through education is nearly always a good investment. I'm not just talking traditional schooling here, education could be reading that marketing book you've been wanting for years, or attending a free online class or webinar.

6. Do 25 Pushups. Right Now.

I'm serious. Get down and do them right now.

Did you do them? If you did, I'll bet you feel better now. Exercise makes everything better. You'll live longer. You'll feel better. You'll look hotter. Just take a look at these Lending Clubbers...

7. Schedule time to do nothing

Put “nothing” on your schedule. Of course, you'll not actually end up doing “nothing”, but you need to schedule that time in if you're not getting enough of it. Maybe you read a book, or go for a jog, or spend time with your kids. Just put it on the schedule.

It may sound selfish to think of yourself as your most important asset. It isn't. In fact, protecting your ability to produce and grow is one of the most unselfish things you can do for your family and your future.

What are you doing to improve and protect yourself?

A good home improvement project takes time, perseverance, and patience.

Oh. And money. Lots and lots of money.

To replicate the designs seen on Extreme Home Makeover or Priced to Sell or insert-HGTV-program-here, you'll have to do some renovating on your wallet and maybe even your savings account. To upgrade a kitchen or bathroom, you could find yourself downgrading a family vacation or graduate school. Home improvement projects do not come on the cheap.

But there are some alternatives to outright wall-banging and deconstruction. A new lamp here, a refurbished end table there, and you have yourself a new room. Redecorating, it seems, is the frugal way to flip the feeling of your favorite pad. Sorry, middle income Bob Vila wannabes. You might be out of luck.

Knowing the inexpensive way to go, however, does not solve all your money problems in one fell swoop. Simply deciding on redecorating over remodeling actually opens up an entire new world of possibilities and a whole new batch of money decisions. There are big box stores and mom-and-pop shops that specialize in helping you redecorate your home, and there are other alternatives for redecorating found online or even in your own garage. Which one is the cheapest way to go? Let's find out:

1. Personal: DIY

Going the do-it-yourself (DIY) route would make Tim "the Tool Man" Taylor proud, but is it right for you? If you are a Mr. Handy McTool, then whittling a new coffee table out of an old shed might be the best option. But for those of us who can't turn a beat-up bicycle into an artful dining room diorama, we might not find this alternative that easy.

Its cheapness can't be understated, though. A lot of do-it-yourself projects begin and end with the stuff you have lying around. There's no need to go out and replace yesterday's clutter with today's filler when you can jimmy-rig something you currently own to do the trick.

There is an intrinsic reward in completing a project by yourself, too. Working with your hands is one of the lost skills that our society has started to ignore. Getting back to the way our forefathers got by is a fulfilling experience, and it continues to be so every time you look at your new creation.

Intangible rewards are nice and all, but they don't matter much when it comes to how much money is in your pocket. The nitty-gritty of DIY projects is how prepared you are to undertake a task. If you have everything you need lying around the house, then you shouldn't end up spending more than few dollars on your finished product. If not, then you might find DIY rather NFM (not-for-me).

Raw material costs for something as simple as shelves in your garage could run you a pretty penny. And while wood from a lumberyard is not as expensive as pre-made shelves from the store, the costs can add up if you need to buy yourself tools or extra supplies.

2. Online: Craigslist

Like a glorious Internet flea market, community sites like craigslist.org (and community second-hand stores, for that matter) are a great place to find inexpensive upgrades for your current decor. Most of the people on craigslist are folks just like us - hoarders with too many of this and too much of that lying around the house and in desperate need to pawn it off on someone else.

Craigslist pros can find incredible deals on virtually any product you can imagine. The beauty of places like craigslist is that pretty much everything you could need for a redecorating project is somewhere in the site's postings. You just have to be able to find it. And once you do, chances are good that it will be significantly cheaper than if you had gone to the store and bought the item brand new. Craigslist merchandise is pre-owned, so it should always come with a discount.

In the same vein, being pre-owned could mean trouble. A lot of folks are desperate to bum their junk off on others, and they will say or show whatever they need to in order to get their item sold. To find just the right product, you might need to commit to a one-on-one visit with that boudoir you've been coveting. You'd hate for it to be missing a drawer. Or smell like cats.

3. In-store: IKEA

There should probably be a distinction made when discussing shopping for home furnishings in a retail store. There are basically two different kinds of places to buy: the eye-gougingly-expensive, designer emporiums and the wholesale, big-box bargain shops. Let's go ahead and assume that the former is not exactly a wise budget move, and we'll focus on the latter.

IKEA, with its Swedish designs and sweet savings, broke the mold when it comes to cheap home furnishings. Everything IKEA makes was built with consumer savings in mind - from the assembly-required ethos to the affordable boxing and packing. Even better, the entire catalog of IKEA products is trendy, modern, and beautiful.

It is not, however, dirt cheap. IKEA items are inexpensive by comparison to expensive competitors, but they will still cost more than D-ingIY or surfing Craigslist. They're brand new, so IKEA can't just be giving them away. Finding the right product at the right price would be key to making an option like IKEA any sort of feasible.

Let's recap: Remodeling a home is expensive. Redecorating is not. And if redecorating is your way to go, then you can't do much better than by trying options like DIY, craigslist, or IKEA.

But which one is the best? That answer is entirely up to you.

If you are industrial and enjoy working with your hands, then a do-it-yourself project might be right up your alley. Plus, if you have most of the tools and materials at your disposal already, then you could get away with paying next to nothing for your new anything.

If deal-hunting is your thing and you don't mind second-hand hand-me-downs, then craigslist might be your calling. Just remember to try before you buy and to learn how to sniff out the special deals.

If neither of the above are your M.O. and you're simply in the market for affordable, fashionable at-home pick-me-ups, then IKEA is right for you. A word of advice, though: Don't forget to keep your budget in mind when you're in the store lest you run the risk of a Swedish shopping stupor.

Are you vital to your employer?

If your answer is, "absolutely!" then congratulations, your job is probably safe. If you hesitated, it may be time to look at how to layoff-proof your position. With companies laying off workers across a broad spectrum of industries, if you're not vital you just might be expendable.

Make yourself absolutely vital to the success of your company… or, at least their survival during these difficult economic times.

1. Be a Da Vinci

Leonardo wasn't just a great painter. He could sculpt, sketch, and if you're a ninja turtle fan, clean up with swords as well.

The point is that knowing how to just do your job isn't enough. To truly layoff-proof yourself you need to know how to do other positions within your company. Take the initiative and start learning the daily tasks you would handle if you had other job titles.

2. Take on a new project

If you have to create a new project to take on one, do it. If a new project needs volunteers, volunteer. Heck, volunteer to lead the search for volunteers.

If there is anything new happening at your company, you want to make sure you are an important part of it. This may mean taking on responsibilities beyond your normal routine or job description.

3. Generate revenue

Often when a company is looking at cutting jobs, the absolute last cuts happen to the sales department. Why? Because without them, the company wouldn't bring in any money!

If you're a secretary, find a salesperson to help out. Can you help manage or optimize their leads? If you can't be generating revenue directly, become absolutely essential to someone who is!

4. Embrace change

Instead of complaining of the "good ole days", embrace any change that your workplace is going through. Not only will it be good for your mental health, you'll be seen as a good team player as well.

Note: This does not mean be a suck-up. This just means roll with the punches. Change happens. You might as well go with it.

5. Share your 100% commitment

Have a serious conversation with your boss (or higher up if possible) about your commitment to your company. Don't do this in an email or over the phone. Even if it's just stopping their office for a few minutes one afternoon, have this conversation in person.

When it comes to making cuts, they will remember the personal conversation that you initiated. It may not sound like much, but little details like this can make all the difference.

Share your best tip

How are you layoff-proofing yourself?

For equity investors, the good news is that the year is almost over. The bad news is that the future is still quite uncertain. So how do you handle a bear market, especially a bear market that's more angry Grizzly bear than tame Winnie the Pooh? You get creative. You think outside the normal "buy and hold" box. There are plenty of alternatives to equities that can survive and even thrive in a bear market.

1. Build a Website Portfolio

Just like with traditional real estate, online websites are all about cash flow. If you're good on the web, consider purchasing a website or two to add to your asset base. Just like a home, websites require maintenance and love to add value to them. Most websites under $25,000 will sell anywhere from 1 to 3 years earnings. In Stock-Talk, that's an insanely low 1-3 P/E ratio. Find quality established websites at Sitepoint.

2. Real Estate

Where is "buy and hold" really a good strategy right now? It's real estate. If you have cash right now or can free some up, you can pick up rental properties at incredible discounts right now. There is even a government tax credit for buying foreclosed properties.

This isn't for the weak of heart. The future of real estate is as uncertain as the stock market, but at least your purchase is something tangible. Plus, while housing prices may have fallen through the floor, rents haven't followed suit. You have a much better chance today of owning cash flow positive rentals than any time in the last few years.

3. You

Do you know the single greatest asset you own? It's you! As Dr. Phil as that might sound, it’s true. Consider investing in your own education. Get that MBA you've always wanted. Investing in yourself and growing your knowledge will always produce a positive return. Where else do you get that kind of guarantee?

4. Peer to Peer Lending

Peer lending is a relatively new investment option in the last few years. It's an attractive option, with rates on borrower notes from 6.69-18.63%. Peer to peer lending works as a win-win for both borrowers and lenders. Borrowers get a lower rate than they would from a traditional loan or credit card, and lenders get a higher return than a CD or savings account.

Lending Club recently got SEC approval for its investment notes with stated interest rates from 6.69-18.63%. With that approval, it also paved the way for a secondary market for the notes. That means your cash isn't tied up for the duration of the 3 year loan, as you can resell it on the secondary market.

Talk Back

What other non-traditional investments are you considering right now?

1.Tell us a little bit about how you got into the person to person lending space?

I first heard about p2p lending on the Dave Ramsey show back in April of 2006. He was actually talking about how he couldn't think of anything crazier to do with your money than lend it out to strangers on the internet. Now normally I'd agree with Dave, but in this case I thought the idea was interesting enough that I had to check it out some more. The more I looked into it, the more I liked the concept. I really felt like this could become an entirely new asset class for individual investors to get involved in while at the same time lowering the cost of borrowing for consumers.

2. What is your level of involvement in this space currently?

My primary involvement has been as a "stats geek" crunching the numbers and analyzing market data in the p2p lending space. I've been running my Prosper.com statistics site, Eric's Credit Community, since May of 2006 and more recently started up LendingClubStats.com to provide the same kind of data analysis for Lending Club lenders. Of course I'm also a lender on both LendingClub and Prosper.com. So far my loan performance on LendingClub has been pretty good, with only a couple of late loans out of 36. My Prosper portfolio performance has been a bit more rocky, but I attribute that mostly to some poor choices in lending to sub-prime borrowers early on before I knew better.

Aside from that, I've been interviewed and featured in p2p lending related articles for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Smart Money Magazine as well as quite a few blogs and other online publications. I was also a speaker at Prosper.com's annual conference in 2007 & 2008, and have been an active member of the lender and developer community there as well. I've also worked closely over the last couple years with Michael Solomon over at Loanio.com in planning for their new p2p lending platform.

3. Being the first to set up a Lending Club statistics site means you saw an opportunity. What motivated you to get the site up and running?

Ever since moving off Facebook and opening to the general public, Lending Club has really been growing by leaps and bounds. I'd been watching Lending Club more or less from the sidelines ever since you started, and had received many inquiries from Prosper lenders who were moving to Lending Club if I had any data about the Lending Club market. So, as soon as the Lending Club data exports were released, I was eager to leverage what I had learned from ericscc.com to create a similar resource for Lending Club lenders. Now that Lending Club has reopened with a new secondary market, I see a fantastic opportunity for further growth with the unique flexibility that the secondary market offers for lenders.

4. What do you think of the Note Trading platform Lending Club reopened with a few weeks back?

Having the secondary market really sets Lending Club apart in the p2p lending market. For lenders, this will have huge significance in terms of liquidity and risk management. Not only does it give you the opportunity to cash out on your existing loans if you feel the need, but it also gives you the chance to potentially reduce your risk by buying seasoned loans from other lenders.

5. What's your day job when you are not working on person to person lending statistics?

By day, I'm a software engineer for CQL a great little web & custom software development shop here in Michigan. I've been working in the software industry for about 10 years now doing everything from C++ to PHP to J2EE to .NET.

6. You have cultivated an active user community. What has surprised you the most about people's reactions to P2P lending?

I think the biggest surprise for me has been how many lenders really get personally involved in their P2P investments. I've seen many lenders who feel personally cheated when that first late loan pops up in their portfolio. Although late loans are simply a fact of life for any reasonably sized loan portfolio, that feeling that you trusted that person with your money and now they aren't paying you back elicits a much more personal reaction than say a 20% drop in the value of your Google stock.

7. What steps do you think are necessary for person-to-person lending to become as mainstream as online banking?

From a borrower perspective, it's advertising, advertising and advertising. Very few people have really even heard of person-to-person lending yet. There has been quite a bit of media coverage, but that coverage has been mostly in places where the audience is much more "lender types" than "borrower types". When I see an ad for Lending Club during the Super Bowl, I'll know p2p lending has gone mainstream.

From a lending perspective, bringing in more (hopefully good) borrowers is again a number one concern, especially for some institutional investors that would like to get involved in this space. Information is another key factor for lenders. Lenders want to know more about the risk vs. return factors in p2p lending so that they can feel comfortable that they are going to get a reasonable rate of return after defaults. While the stock and bond markets have years and years of publicly available data behind them and an untold number of tools to analyze that data, the person-to-person lending market is still very new, and the risks are not as well understood. I'm hoping that sites like mine will change that though. As more data becomes available, it will become easier for lenders to make more informed lending decisions and be more confident of their returns - which hopefully leads to more money invested at Lending Club.

8. Any last comments or recommendations to new or not so new P2P lenders out there?

My biggest recommendation for P2P lenders would be to start conservatively. Don't chase after the high rates on lower credit grade loans until you really feel like you understand the risks. You might not get as high of a return as you could have by diving into the lower credit grades, but you're also a lot less likely to end up losing money. Also, keep an eye on the market using the various p2p blogs out there and sites like mine, and spend some time networking with other lenders. You'll be able to learn a lot from their successes and mistakes.