Winning

It isn’t really about winning the money. You know that, right?

Yeah, sure, it’s great fun to imagine all of the ways you might live out the rest of your life spewing ridiculous demands, like to be surrounded by only white furniture and carpeting, or to wear a brand new pair of shoes every single day, or to have only Mayan tuberose candles in your hotel rooms, whether you’re actually there or not.  For an army of hangers-on to bound at the chance to satisfy your slightest whim, all while you never spend another moment worrying about money again is, at the very least, mildly entertaining.  At its most staid, the prospect of your actually founding The Human Fund is, well, awfully generous of you, now, isn’t it?  To eliminate the stress, the uncertainty, the fear of financial dependence and all of its associated anxiety is exhilarating, liberating. Imagining what we would do with a billion dollars is an incredibly compelling diversion.

It isn’t really about winning the money, though.

We like to think money could – and would – fix everything. Make our lives easier.  End all of our problems.

And maybe it would.

But the true lottery in life isn’t about money.  It’s about playing the hand you’ve been dealt with grace.   It’s about getting through all of life’s trials with dignity, gratitude, and kindness.

If money could bring back the dead, transform regret, or buy our souls content, it would be worth so much more than it actually is. But, like Billy Joel said, “The money comes, the money goes. We know it’s all a passing phase.”  And it is a passing phase.

Money is just paper. Yes, we need it to survive and be protected, to provide for ourselves and those for whom we are responsible.  Money is necessary – but, ultimately, it will never satisfy us.  Money is necessary – but it will never give us peace.

Life isn’t about winning the money.  It’s about winning the journey.  If you win the money, terrific!  It’s almost a guarantee you won’t, though.

Tomorrow, you’ll wake up, and everything will be just the same as it is today.

Win your journey.