Money is something that enables us to enjoy life, yet it is surprising how many people have difficulty describing their perfect life. For most people, a perfect life will involve a relationship, family, friends, a comfortable place to live, various kinds of meaningful activity (career, community work, hobbies and interests), and perhaps some travel or further education. It probably also involves something that makes life exciting in some way, as no-one wants to lead a boring life. To be a useful guide for decision-making purposes, your vision of a perfect life needs to be within reach, but it should involve a bit of a stretch.

There is a useful and very simple technique for creating a vision for your perfect life that will help to guide you. Sit down in a comfortable, quiet spot for an hour or so with a pen and paper. Take a moment to clear your mind of things that are happening in the present and in your past life. Imagine there are few constraints on what you can achieve. See yourself at a time five years from now. Write down on the paper what a typical day in your life would be like, starting from the time you wake up until the time you go to sleep. Describe where you are living, who is living there with you, how you spend your day in a way that gives you the greatest enjoyment in life, and how you end your day. This is not an exercise about money or possessions, it about how you spend your time, who you spend it with and the things that give you the most pleasure. It is the starting point for setting yourself some realistic and achievable goals for the year that will take you closer to your perfect life.