I recently read the book ‘Die with Zero’ by Bill Perkins - or more accurately listened to it on 1.25x speed. It’s a really interesting concept. It argues that all of us should try to exit this mortal coil leaving nothing behind. To have spent every last pound we have earned. To leave any money behind, he argues, is a waste of ‘life energy’. Why work for any cash you’re not going to spend? His arguments question why as we age we still hoard cash, defer taking trips or spending our money until ‘some point in the future’.
According to Perkins this isn’t rational behaviour. If the goal of living is, as he says, to maximise our ‘life fulfilment’ then he’s probably right - and a good chunk of the book is devoted to explaining how to maximise enjoyment and create what he calls ‘memory dividends’.
However fulfilment doesn't only come from having and spending money
Perkins suggests there are three things that are needed - money, yes, but also free time and importantly - your health.The thing is, these resources rarely peak at the same time. In our youth we have free time and health but no money. In our middle age we can have health and money but little free time, and so on. So what do we do about that?Sadly we can’t ensure these resources all peak together, but what we can do is be more deliberate about how we use each of them, and protect our health so that our money and free time don’t lose a huge amount of their individual value. We know our health will naturally decline over time, but we have some control over the steepness of the curve. Every action we take to improve our health today gives us the chance for a longer window in which to make memories and enjoy the ‘memory dividends’ that come with them.The book definitely has some interesting ideas (particularly around gifting to loved ones) - but for me it’s not necessarily about dying with zero. It’s a reminder to stop living on autopilot and being willing to think about our own mortality - something I think us Brits are not very good at.For me it was a wake up call to think about what experiences I want to have in my life. A much needed nudge to think about planning the trips that won’t be as enjoyable when I’m older, and to avoid sleepwalking towards a better ‘tomorrow’ when all we have is today.
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