Most career books advise imagining a circumstance where you have an infinite or an unbelievably large sum of money and have no need to work. They ask; what would you do then? Where would you want to be? How would your ambition change? The answers to these questions are supposed to guide you to your calling or that daily endeavor that holds true personal value.
Make it more real. The questions are legit, but the hypothetical scenario suggested is just too fantastical. Think about it in terms of what you earn now (which also eliminates that initial desire to go on a superfluous shopping spree). If you could have the salary you have now without having to do the work you do now for it, what then? Say you earn $50,000/year and it was guaranteed no matter what. How would you plan your day to day?
Bottomline: Our imaginations are powerful and may be a little too convincing. Who hasn’t dreamed about possibly earning a million dollars? Planning out career options based on that dream though is a little far-fetched and unrealistic. Work with the numbers you have now because they actually affect your lifestyle. It’s a clearer perspective when you can understand it on today’s rather than tomorrow’s terms.