What Makes Up the Good Life?

An article I saved from Money magazine's August 2006 issue lists the response people gave to the question of what gives them the most pleasure. Want to guess what's on the list? Surprising (or maybe not so surprising) was the fact that money-related items weren't the only ones on the list. In fact, they were rather scarce. Here's what people said made up the good life for them (with the percent of people naming each items listed as well):

• Good health -- 84%
• A home you own -- 60%
• Children -- 48%
• An interesting job -- 46%
• Free and leisure time -- 36%
• A yard or garden -- 22%
• A luxury or second car -- 19%
• The latest electronic gadgets -- 19%

Interesting, huh?

I've long written that there are many things more important than money and this survey agrees. That said, I would still include money somewhere in the list of what makes for a pleasurable life. Here are some things I'd include on my list:

• My faith
• Good health
• My family
• A great job
• Financial security
• Interesting hobbies

So, what would be on your list of what makes up the good life?

Comments

[Moneymonk]

I have all of those above. But I will add free time to do what I want when I want

[plonkee]

Health and financial security
An interesting job
A home that fits me
Friends
Books and reading in general
Time to travel

More or less in that order.

[Lord]

I would put financial independence above any job. It is much easier to get than a good job too.

[FamilyFinanceBlog]

Health
Time for my family

Really, that's pretty much it for me. If I'm healthy and I have time for my family, that's going to make me rich. That's not to say I wouldn't love financial security, a nice home with a backyard for the kids to play in, etc., but I could be happy with just those two.

[Lin]

Emotional Happiness
Health
Family
Friends
Sense of security
Hobbies (Travels, Books, Sports)

[Carmen]

Good health (which I'll never take for granted again after having cancer)
Friends
Vocation
A place to live where I feel like I'm part of a community
Interests (reading, singing, bushwalking)
Free time
Financial security

One of the most important things I've ever learned is that time is more valuable than money.