So, you have a million dollars. Now what?
Suppose you win a lottery or get a successful exit for your startup. You suddenly find yourself with a million dollars to play with. It is like what you always dreamt for has become a reality. At this point, what would you do? What would your future look like?
It is hard to imagine not having fun with a million dollars in bank. But that is precisely what I (sadly) concluded after thinking deeply over this issue. There are multiple reasons why I think a million dollars won’t bring me the freedom, happiness and euphoria that I had thought were main motivators for me.
One of most the reasons concern with the social circle. Even if you get lots of money to spend, with whom would you go shopping? Who would be able to afford accompanying you to your always-dreamt-of-visiting Morocco? Is your friend equally fond of I-would-go-bungee-jumping-one-day? Chances are that most of your friends or relative would not have time to be there with you all the time, would not be able to afford hanging out with you while you are indulging, and would politely decline your sponsorship. So, my friend, what would you do with your million dollars?
How many movies per week can you watch? How many books can you read? Can you eat at fine-dine restaurants three times a day for a whole month? To be realistic, I find it hard having a tremendous amount of joy from a million dollars. I don’t think I would be more happy then than I am at this moment. Maybe the kick of having money far more strong than the actual pleasure in it.
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29. March 2009 at 15:37
Wow! Thank you! I always wanted to write in my site something like that. Can I take part of your post to my blog?
29. March 2009 at 16:45
@Freddy, sure go ahead.
31. March 2009 at 15:11
nikamma hai tu.. when you have a million dollars, all you are thinking about is enjoying by pleasing youself..
you could also utilize it for worthwhile causes and take happiness from that.. you could influence lives of others and be happier in doing that. That angle completely ignored, huh??? tum DCE wale.. no values.. no thoughts about the greater good of society!!!!
Anyway, aaj tera khayal aaya so i thought i’d visit your website and irk you with a comment on some post.. kya haal chaal?
17. May 2009 at 10:50
@ siddharth : charity begins at home
@ paras : saale ek million to kuchh bhi nahi hai….sirf ek million se kya ghanta hoga….aajkal ek dhang ka appartment hi mushkil se ek million me aayega
20. June 2009 at 07:41
As your last line aptly says “the kick of having money, is far stronger than the actual pleasure of it”, the journey towards success is far more enjoyable than reaching it.For many people, happiness is a function of “behaviour of people around”
(like me), so there, a million may not work. However, i would still love to see a million !!:)
14. July 2009 at 18:31
After first million dollars, many of my friends would say “let’s go for the second!”. Despite I agree the effort to get the goal is much better than the goal itself, we humans do the same as when hunted animals to eat and, one day, we tamed them much more than needed and started “selling” surpluses. I think too many years loaded with that genetic surviving program provides ourselves with a continuous fight against the primary need to ensure our resources for the rest of our lives as soon as possible. Perhaps, ancient hunters noticed they could not keep more than 20 cows because they would die or run away before they could get profit from them. Today it is harder to know the optimal amount of dollars (cows) one should just fight for which would be enough, and would let one time to enjoy life, friends, family, books, music… Probably that is much less than one million dollars, however my friends don’t know.
3. August 2009 at 03:34
Being a junior partner in a start up. I would agree that the chase is what keeps me going. With a million dollars I would take my wife and kis to travel the world for one year.
This way when my kids sit in language class or history class they would be more culturally aware and understand the importance of understanding other peoples cultures and beliefs.
I would then start my journey for my next start up company. B/c as you mentioned the chase is the driving factor. The money is just an added bonus.
If wildly successful then yes my wife would be able to run a philanthropic foundation and we could experience the joys of helping others.
18. August 2009 at 04:37
maybe you said that because you can’t know how to make 1 millon, and you don’t want to feel like a loser
17. October 2009 at 20:24
Bless you and your site for your advice…
22. February 2010 at 23:43
I have more than 1 million dollars.
It is fantastic. Virgins are feeding me white grapes and dark chocolate as I write.
My sleep is deep, my health and heart in harmony with the enlightened few.
Thank you for making me understand once again the ignorance and arrogance of the poor downtrodden masses.