What Does Your Life Actually Need More Of (1)
24 September 2026

What Does Your Life Actually Need More Of? Money Isn’t Always the Answer.

When people think about their future, they often focus on building more wealth: more income, more investments, more superannuation, more financial security.

Of course, these things matter – but the real value of money lies in what it allows you to do, experience and feel.

Here at The Wealth Designers, we’re passionate about helping our clients create lives with both money and meaning. Before making any financial recommendation, we encourage people to question: what does it really mean to live well? 

And this philosophy goes way beyond our tagline. As fellow human beings, it’s something our team lives and breathes, both in our personal and professional lives (see our team bios to discover the things that light us up).

So, before setting another financial goal, we recommend asking a different question:

What does your life actually need more of?

Because we want you to truly live well – both tomorrow AND today. 

Start with your hopes and dreams, not money

It’s easy to assume that more money will automatically make life better. But if you haven’t defined what “better” looks like, you may find yourself working harder and accumulating more without feeling any closer to the life you want.

Perhaps what you really want is more time with your family; more freedom to travel, more confidence about the future; or more room to be creative, adventurous or generous.

And it’s just as important to consider what you’d like less of.

These questions might not sound like traditional financial advice, but they can tell you far more about the right direction for your money than choosing an investment or setting a savings target just because you feel like you should. 

Discover more here at our page What does value mean to you?

A simple exercise to clarify what matters most

Try this exercise: take a sheet of paper and divide it into two columns.

In the first column, write “More of”.

Your list might include:

  • Time
  • Travel
  • Family
  • Adventure
  • Security
  • Freedom
  • Creativity
  • Connection
  • Health
  • Purpose

In the second column, write “Less of”.

This list might include:

  • Stress
  • Work
  • Debt
  • Financial uncertainty
  • Clutter
  • Obligations
  • Rushing
  • Commuting
  • Worry
  • Responsibility

There are no right answers: simply notice what comes up when you think beyond your bank balance.

Once you have your lists, ask yourself:

What role could money play in creating more of the first list and less of the second?

This is where your personal dream can be transformed into a practical financial outcome.

What are you really working towards?

Imagine someone says they want to grow their investment portfolio. But what’s behind that financial aspiration?

Do they want to retire early – or continue doing work they love while taking every January off to travel with their family? Do they want to leave a larger inheritance to their children, or help them buy their first homes while they’re here to see the difference it makes?

Each of those answers could lead to a different strategy.

And it’s the same for someone who wants to earn more. A higher income might be helpful, but not if it requires longer hours, greater stress and less time for the people and experiences that matter most.

Sometimes the answer is to build more wealth. Sometimes it’s to use existing wealth differently, which might mean paying for help at home, taking a longer holiday, stepping back from work sooner or choosing not to go for the next promotion.

Give yourself permission 

In our office, we often see that after decades of saving and making careful decisions, spending can feel uncomfortable for clients – even when funds are available and the long-term strategy is secure.

But we believe that life is for living – and that’s why clarity about what’s truly important matters. 

Financial advice that’s driven by your hopes and dreams can help you understand what’s possible, allowing you to enjoy your wealth rather than continually saving for the future – something we all know isn’t guaranteed. 

Your definition of enough can change

The life you wanted ten years ago might look quite different to the life you want today, which is why getting financial advice shouldn’t be a one-off exercise.  

A good strategy evolves with you: it creates space to revisit what matters, test new possibilities and make adjustments as needed. 

Perhaps you once planned to retire at 65, but now you would prefer to transition gradually from 55. Or your idea of success has shifted from achieving more to having more freedom.

Changing your mind is not failure – it’s part of designing a life that feels right for you.

Designing wealth around your life

At The Wealth Designers, we believe financial advice should begin with understanding your life, rather than simply analysing your numbers.

That means exploring what matters to you, what you’d like to change, and what you want your wealth to make possible. From there, we can design a financial strategy that supports those priorities, whether that involves investing, managing cash flow, preparing for retirement, protecting your family or creating greater flexibility.

So, what does your life need more of?

The answer might not be money – but the right financial advice could help you get there.

Want to chat through your situation with our expert team? We’d love to help. Book your free 30-minute call here.