Imagine what would happen if you won the lottery tomorrow. You’d be happy right? All your problems would fade into the distance, whatever you wanted would be yours. Not necessarily.

Because as financial guru Arun Abey, author of the groundbreaking book ‘How Much is Enough?’, explains money in and of itself is neutral. It’s a merely legal tender. What isn’t neutral as Abey points out in this highly accessible and sensible book is the emotional baggage that we attach to money.

The history of our relationship with money is ancient. Aristotle noted that there are two functions of money. “He (Aristotle) viewed money as having two functions - as a mere means to an end and as an end itself. The latter he felt was fraught with peril,” says Abey.

Abey reminds us that the 21st century provides us with ample choices to live the lives we want to live. We have access to medical care barely dreamed of a generation ago, we are linked to the global village via electronic communication, we have entertainment on tap and the freedom to pursue our dreams as well as aspirations.

But none of these amazing advances guarantees us happiness. In fact with the gift of the bounties of the 21st century comes a poisoned apple — that of making choices that are wrong for us. And if we do that no amount of money in the world will ever make us happy.

If you know who you are, what you want from the world, and what material resources you need to achieve these goals then you are on the way to having the amount of money you need to make you happy.

‘How Much is Enough?’ guides the reader through a carefully orchestrated process, with real life examples gleaned from Abey’s years of experience as a financial counsellor and advisor, towards understanding how we see money, what money can and cannot do for us, how to invest successfully and most importantly how you really will only achieve financial peace of mind and happiness when you have a plan for your life.

It’s a highly readable book that will guide you towards a better understanding of your financial life, and indeed the life you want to live.

Some of the lessons you will learn along the way are:

• How to be happy (yes really, in a financial book)
  
• Why you have to take the long view on investments
  
• How to understand the puzzles of investing in property
  
• How to find out whether your financial adviser is a good or bad one

And, finally, at the end of your financial journey why you will, like billionaires Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, be in a position to give something back.

This book goes way beyond the usual ‘self-help’ book having it in your hands is like having a financial adviser on call, in your home, in your office and even on your iPod.

• On Sunday Iafrica.com will feature an interview with Arun Abey, author of ‘How Much is Enough?’ on its Personal Finance homepage.

  Abey is a co-founder and international strategic advisor to acsis, an independent financial services group. Abey is also the co-founder and executive chairman of ipac, a global leader in the field of financial planning and investment advice and strategic partner to acsis.