What Would You Do If You Won The Lottery?

The chances of anyone winning the lottery is so remote that it is ridiculous to even think about what you would do if it happened.  However, your choices do have something to say about who you are, what you value, what is important in your life and what changes you think will make you happier.

In a capitalistic system money gives you freedom of choice.  Most people would use that money to choose the things they believe will make them happier.  The point is, are you sure you know what would make you happier?  Assuming there are things in your life today that don't make you happy, then your belief is the money will change those situations.

Therefore, it is important to take a step back and think about the things in your life that are making you unhappy.  If money would solve those problem - great.  However, most problems in life can't be solved with money.  Also, the chances of you hitting the lottery to get the happiness solving money is more than remote - it's no f-ing way.

I truly believe you can solve most of your happiness problems without a money windfall.  I did and write my blogs so you can also.

Sooo, assuming you can have a happy life without winning the lottery, then what would you do if you did.  It makes me feel good thinking about it so here are the first things I would like to do.

I have a housekeeper who has worked for us for many years.  She is getting older.  She has a bad back.  She's had two foot operations.  She is very religious and is happy she has the support of the church.  I would love to help her stop working and give all her energy to the things she loves most - her family and the church.

I have friends I grew up with that have been very good to me when I needed them the most.  They can live out the rest of their life without my help, but don't have the financial security I would love them to have.  I know not having money worries would make them very happy.  Their happiness would make me even happier.

I feel the same about my son, my wife and me.  I don't need to buy more stuff, but it would be nice to go to sleep knowing my wife and I are safe from financial disasters.  Security is probably the biggest thing most people want.  Security in your relationships is something you can control.  Security in your friendships is something you can control.  Security in your job is something you have some control over ( assuming it's a job you like). 

Financial security is something you have some control of if you've been prudent with your money.  You have to appreciate and respect money at a young age.  If you wait until you're older it may be too late.  It's critical to create financial security without preying you're going to hit the lottery. 

How much money you need to feel secure is the issue.  In my blogs I make it clear you will always have food to eat, air to breath and shelter.  Everything else is cosmetic.  Spending on stuff you don't need at the expense of feeling financially safe is not happiness.  Being addicted to financial security is not happiness because you will never have enough.  Preferring financial security is happiness.  If you prefer it than run your life in a way you will have it.  The lottery will not save you. 

I don't worry about my financial security because my wife and I planned for it.  However, as my father would say: "hitting the lottery wouldn't hurt."

I would love to be able to financially make a difference against the war on cancer.  I've lost too many loved ones to that horrible disease.  It pisses me off that this country spends billions to go to mars and almost nothing to cure cancer. 

Now, don't get me wrong, I like thinking about the things I would do if I had millions.  I would love to have a driver so I could go to see my friends at our bar and not worry about drinking too much.  My wife and I love to throw parties, but it's expensive and it would be better if we had more space.  We do it as often as we can, but dreaming about being able to throw more great parties makes me happy.

I don't need more cars, clothes, jewelry, etc.  I'm more than happy with what I have now.  My focus on hitting the lottery is helping the people I love, financial security for my family and friends, curing cancer, having a driver and throwing more parties.  Those are the things that would make me happier than I am right now.

What would you do?  Think about it because it might bring out things in your life that you could solve without hitting the lottery.