Like the rest of us, Shaun Nicholson dreams of a life lived in luxury

Have you ever dreamed of winning Lotto?

How about having a solicitor turn up at your work or residence and advise that you are the sole beneficiary of a FORTUNE left by some long lost relative? Oh, yes. That would certainly make your day!

So what would you do if you ended up with Millions in your pocket? How much is enough to throw in the towel, resign from your job or close the business and never go back? After you pay off the mortgage, go on a holiday, have a shopping spree and generally ‘go mad’ with joy – how much do you need to live on?

It is an interesting question and one that draws all sorts of answers. Some of my colleagues expressed that they would need well in excess of $3 million whilst others would be able to change their lives by receiving a mere $1 million.
What about charities? Would you give some of the winnings to the local women's refuge, SPCA or Red Cross?

How about doing what a Wellington couple did and pay for all new industrial ovens at the city mission? What about family, would they also benefit from your good fortune?
Ah, now wouldn’t these dilemmas be great to face rather than the usual work, home and relationship dramas we all face. You can see it now, huh! As you lean across the leather console of your new Audi and say to your loved one, “what would you like to do today? Paris, Rome or New York”?
Okay, BIG reality check. You haven’t hit the jackpot (despite queuing up like I do each Saturday at the local Lotto outlet) and you have bills to pay, business to get done, chores (I prefer the word ‘projects’) around home to complete and not enough time in the day to get it all done. For a seven letter word, ‘reality’ can be harsh on the ears sometimes.
Are you happy with your lot?’Is your lot really all that bad and would winning millions change it? Auckland (sorry if you are reading this outside JAFFA town) was recently nominated the most entrepreneurial city in all of the OECD nations. I really think this could have been extended out to the rest of the country as well as we are a nation of small businesses. We are hugely motivated to grab a slice of the action and ‘do it ourselves’.

That brings me to my point of this article. Isn’t it the journey rather than the destination that is the key to a good life? Making your fortune rather than winning it, isn’t that a sweeter tasting dessert? I like to think so and it reinforces the mantra that all the Tony Robins of this world push on us as they make their millions!
In order to help you on your way to your ‘millions’ here are my usual Free Stuff, Cool Stuff, and Inspiring Stuff:

Free Stuff
Here is a goody provided by our resident ‘brains-trust’ James Abbott in the One Finance office. Have a look at http://ocw.mit.edu All sorts of free courses and lectures that could empower you into another direction!
Cool Stuff
Need to be inspired at work? Then visit Alexander Kjerulf's site and be amazed at just how other workplaces are strutting their stuff: http://positivesharing.com/2006/10/10-seeeeeriously-cool-workplaces/
Inspiring Stuff
“TRY not to become a man of success but a man of value” – Albert Einstein