Five questions to change your life
Posted by Faith, 11 November 2009
What do you want from life? Good health? Wealth? Lots of friends? A pet guinea pig?
A recent survey by New Zealand Lotteries asked 1291 adult New Zealanders what they wished for:
- when they were a kid
- now as an adult
- the whole country.
The summarised results for the top childhood wishes were mainly quite delightful:
- own a pet
- get a bike
- become rich
- unlimited ice cream
- be Superman or Wonder Woman
- marry a man like Dad
Adult dreams were more predictable:
- good health for self and family
- travel
- more money
- a long life
- finish home renovations
- have a house by the sea
For the whole of New Zealand, there were the usual dreams around international rugby and sport. However, other wishes were:
- Reduce crime rate and violence
- Financial stability
- Wipe out swine flu.
With the wishes (both individual and for the whole of NZ) it was good to see that the focus was not just on money. Having a long life, good health and well-being was right at the top – even with unlimited ice cream!
Did anyone mention about just being alive? Yes! Of the wishes (from when they were children) there were a few heartbreakers in the research summary:
- 9 wanted to have a dad
- 8 wished for nana or mum to get better
- 12 said they hoped they would never go hungry.
This really emphasises the point of living and sharing our lives with others – we need to be there for the people that are special to us and to live life fully.
Sadly, many people are so busy with the everyday humdrum, fussing over small things that don’t really matter or wasting time just hoping and wishing, that they don’t notice there can be more to life.
Can you imagine these tombstones?
Here lies
Julie Finn
Who worried most
About being thin
Died when she stood sideways and disappeared.
Or
Here lies
Brian Tuck
Who worried most
About making a buck
Died when he fell out of a bed stuffed too high with money under the mattress.
Both Julie and Brian spent their lives wanting more, even though what they had was more than enough. These are extreme examples, but are you wishing your life away by always hoping for more, instead of enjoying what you have?
Take just 5 minutes today to think about 5 questions.
If you can answer these, you're well on the way to a happy and successful life:
- What do I want to do?
- Who do I want to do it with?
- Where do I want to do it?
- What can I do today to make a start?
- What can I do tomorrow, and the next day and the next day, until I get there?
Repeat the process tomorrow. It’s only 5 minutes and even a busy person can fit this in anywhere, anytime.
Need more help? Check out:
- Who wants to be a millionaire?
http://www.keepingthefaith.co.nz/financial_planning_faith_blog_280509.cfm
- Win an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Europe
http://www.keepingthefaith.co.nz/financial_planning_faith_blog_140209.cfm
Buy my new book Faith Speaks Money Talks to discover how to:
- Decide what is important to you
- Get a better life with the 7-week money challenge
- Smash the spending habit so you have more money for what you really want
- Stop money pouring out of your life
- Handle the big money decisions with ease
- Buy property with confidence and without going broke
- Make the most of KiwiSaver
See previous blogs:
Don't sweat the small stuff.
Can you grow a money tree?
What's holding you back?
Money or your life - which has more value?
The seven secret thieves
Five questions to change your life
Find that spark
Switching lives - what would you choose?
Who can I trust to help grow my money?
How to swim in a sea of money
Life can be unfair
The rule of happiness
No way to live
Anyone can be good with money
Best ways to warm up winter
Who wants to be a millionaire?
The secret of wealth
Keeping your money safe
Having it all
Win an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Europe (Part 3)
Win an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Europe (Part 2)
Win an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Europe (Part 1)
Make a change for good
A recipe for a happy Christmas
Nothing else matters
Rage, rage against the dying of the light
Make a wish come true
Buying or Selling a House – Those that care least, usually succeed
When is a good time to buy a house?
Sleepless Nights in a War Zone
Transitions - more life or more of the “same old, same old” boring stuff?