One of my favorite finance books is How To Think About Money by Jonathan Clements. Along with helping reframe our view about money he also helps us rethink our lives in general. Here are 6 questions from his book that can help us determine our life purpose and overall goals.
1. “If money were not an issue what would you do with your time?” Many of us are so accustomed to our lives. We go to our jobs 5-6 days a week and maintain our focus on paying bills and providing for our loved ones. However, thinking about what we would do with our lives if money were not an issue is an exercise worth pursuing. It can even help us determine our goals and passions in life. The remembrance of these interests could motivate us to pursue our dreams even more relentlessly than we have before.
2. “If you had to write your own obituary, what accomplishments would like to be remembered for?” Being given the task of writing down our achievements for people to remember after our death can help us think about which accomplishments truly matter to us. More importantly, it helps us prioritize our achievements. We get a better sense of which goals mean the most to us and can better understand the achievements that may have defined our lives. This question can also help us think about the mark we think we’re leaving in the world and give us a better idea about which future goals and accomplishments we should work toward.
3. “Think back over your life. When were you the happiest and what were you doing?” Many of us start our careers by making decisions for ourselves, but as we get older with more responsibilities we begin to consider the needs and thoughts of others as well. Although it is good practice to keep the desires of others in our minds, we must not forget about the things that make us truly happy – like quality time with our families, priceless moments with our friends, the feeling of accomplishment after giving a great presentation or the joy felt after seeing our dreams finally come into fruition. Thinking about our happiest moments can center us. It can encourage us in tough times and serve as a great reminder about the things that truly matter in life. The busier we are, the more important it is to keep these things in mind.
4. “If you had enough money to cover your financial needs for the rest of your life, would you change your life, and if so, how?” This question makes us really think about how we spend our time and how we are living our lives. Are the things we do each day and the careers we chose things we do just for money or is there some other tangible benefit? If we are only doing certain jobs because of the money we earn then perhaps we should consider switching to something else that might bring us more happiness or meaning. Life is too short not to find happiness in our jobs and free time.
5. “If your doctor told you that you only had 5-10 years left to live but that you’d feel fine up until the end, would you change your life and if so how?” Instead of focusing on how money may have influenced our career decisions, this question asks us something different. What are our life priorities? If we know we have limited time on earth, what are the things we want to accomplish with the time we have left? Perhaps we’ve always wanted to write a book, travel to a certain country, start a charity, or raise children. This question makes us really think about the “big” things in life and challenges us to prioritize them now since life isn’t promised to us.
6. “If your doctor tells you that you only have a single day left to live. What do you think you would have missed out on? What would you be sad you didn’t get to do?” Answering this question can help us determine what we must do in our lives. What I like about this last question is that it isn’t just about accomplishments or goals. It can also be about the “little” things in life that mean a lot to us. Did we treat people the way wanted to? Did we spend our time on earth doing what we loved? Did we prioritize our family? Would we be happy with the life we have lived? If the answer to any of these questions is no, we should actively work on changing our lives, NOW.
As you answer these questions above, I hope it makes you think about your life, priorities, achievements, and future goals. Working through these scenarios can help us determine what’s truly important to us. Who knows, it may even be the key to unlocking a lifetime of happiness.