The recent Powerball drawing of $1.6 billion had a lot of people talking about what they would do with the money. I mean, reporters were visiting different cities and interviewing hopeful winners and asking the question, “How would you spend the money?” Social media was buzzing with tweets and posts about how to spend the money or making sure their causes were represented in the event someone won and would be willing to share some of those winnings.
I happened to be traveling that week and spent time in airplanes, taxis, shuttle buses and airports. I overheard many of the same conversations taking place and some of the answers were self-serving, with some stating all of the luxury items that they would buy for themselves. Others talked about eliminating debt, helping friends and family, and supporting their favorite cause.
More than a few talked about giving at least half of the winnings away to their favorite charities or making a significant donation through their church our house of worship. We had many of those same questions at our own house and shared our own thoughts on how winning such a large sum of money could and would change our lives.
Now here is the real question, “How would it change who you are?” Many of the people being interviewed and in many of the conversations I overheard or took part in, people said that it wouldn’t change them as a person at all. Maybe that’s true, maybe it’s not, I really didn’t know the people personally so I couldn’t say if I believed they wouldn’t or couldn’t be changed by money. I mean, money does crazy things to people and $1.6 billion is a crazy sum of money.
What I do know is that there are many people who are very happy and comfortable with who they are and where they are. And that they are grounded through a solid belief system and hold close to their values. And then there are others who really would like to make some change or improvement in their lives. So does it take winning the lottery to make those changes? I don’t believe so. True change happens or doesn’t happen when we are committed to our values and disciplined enough to set and pursue our goals.
Money, and I mean a lot of money, can do many things for people and certainly make a difference in how we live and how we secure our future. But if it changes who we are, we have never been comfortable and grounded in who we were in the first place.
Now I am not judging nor am I being a hypocrite. I invested more than a few dollars in the recent Powerball drawing, as you have to be in it to win it, right? But when I recognize a change I want to make, identify a new goal I want to pursue, or dream I wish to make a reality, I invest the time in myself to make those changes, not just in hoping that one day lightning will strike and I will win the lottery.
And it starts with where we see ourselves. Zig Ziglar used to say, “If you don’t like who you are, what you are, and where you are, you can change who you are, what you are, and where you are by changing what goes into your mind.” Filling our mind, our field of vision, our ears, and our surroundings with positive thoughts and attitude coupled with a strategic and tactical plan that will help us become who we are will have a greater impact and more realistic impact on our lives than investing our time and money in hoping and waiting to win the lottery.
How about you? Would $1.6 billion change you as a person? Are there changes that you would like to make in your life, big or small, and just don’t know where to start? I would love to hear all about it at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we can acknowledge where true and meaningful change comes from, we will achieve our goals and realize our dreams, making it a better than good week.
Michael Norton is a resident of Castle Rock, the former president of the Zig Ziglar Corporation, a strategic consultant and a business and personal coach.