Winning the Lottery

Recently the Powerball lottery was over $600 million.  For several days, I allowed myself to dream about winning the the money.  I was going to buy my dad a new car, donate some to charity, and buy a house/office space for myself.  Inevitably I lost and was glum.  

It got me thinking about "waiting for the world to change" vs being proactive and making do with what I have.  In Malcolm Gladwell's latest book, David and Goliath, he challenges our concepts of advantages and disadvantages.  He examined topics such as wealth, civil rights leaders, & dyslexia to show how "underdogs" used the status to their advantage.

If I had more money, I would probably rely on it to build my career vs building my career through being a great psychologist.  It's much easier to work hard when you are forced to than when you have a comfy life.  It's also much easier to say "we can't afford that" than to say "no" to things that may have negative consequences.

That's not to say a challenging life is a bed of roses, but if we are fortunate enough to have at least one support source, we can overcome any perceived obstacle.

When I think about it, I don't need millions of dollars to be happy.  Even small wins such as successfully cooking a souffle or receiving a compliment or learning something new makes me feel good.  It brightens the rest of my day and makes irritating people less annoying.  Small wins are something I can generate for myself each day.

Learning to love what I have.
Bryan