Would a lottery win massively improve/impact your life?
Discussion
webstercivet said:
MikeM6 said:
I have no interest in winning millions, as I am certain it would not make me happy and likely do the opposite.
Winning money means you haven't earned it and so the pride and satisfaction that comes with having nice things isn't there. All you are left with is the 'pleasure' of having things that others can't have, which I don't get, as the things themselves would not satisfy for long.
You could give up work and not worry about things, but there are only so many holidays you can go on before that no longer satisfies.
You could give it all away I suppose. That would be a good thing to do, but how many really would and not then later regret it? Might as well have not won it in the first place?
Like all gambling, the lottery is a mugs game and I think anybody playing it should be very careful of what they wish for.
Lot of sympathy with this view. If the lottery gives you cash and toys but takes away much of the purpose, structure, drive, discipline and sense of genuine achievement from life, then you're better off without it. Every conversation with people of your wealth level you'd be on the back foot knowing you hadn't done anything to earn it or truly belong. It could also bring out the worst traits in family and friends.Winning money means you haven't earned it and so the pride and satisfaction that comes with having nice things isn't there. All you are left with is the 'pleasure' of having things that others can't have, which I don't get, as the things themselves would not satisfy for long.
You could give up work and not worry about things, but there are only so many holidays you can go on before that no longer satisfies.
You could give it all away I suppose. That would be a good thing to do, but how many really would and not then later regret it? Might as well have not won it in the first place?
Like all gambling, the lottery is a mugs game and I think anybody playing it should be very careful of what they wish for.
But I think you undersell the merits of giving it all (or almost all) away. Don't just write one big cheque and walk away, but really get involved in charities and figure out what you care about, what makes a difference to peoples' lives, put your own stamp (but not your nameplate) on your giving. I think that could be incredibly rewarding.
I don’t understand the issue with worrying about disclosing the origin of the wealth either, I’ve met lots of people who are very wealthy and never once even considered asking them how they earnt it.
MikeM6 said:
I have no interest in winning millions, as I am certain it would not make me happy and likely do the opposite.
Winning money means you haven't earned it and so the pride and satisfaction that comes with having nice things isn't there. All you are left with is the 'pleasure' of having things that others can't have, which I don't get, as the things themselves would not satisfy for long.
You could give up work and not worry about things, but there are only so many holidays you can go on before that no longer satisfies.
You could give it all away I suppose. That would be a good thing to do, but how many really would and not then later regret it? Might as well have not won it in the first place?
Like all gambling, the lottery is a mugs game and I think anybody playing it should be very careful of what they wish for.
If you’ve bought a ticket then you’ve paid for the chance to win, youve earned the right to that chance. Best thing for most people would be to tell the boss they hate to F off. Worst thing? Dealing with friends /family. Worse if you are from a ‘poorer’ background. British people don’t tend to like anyone having a £ more than them. I mean really, really, don’t like. Winning money means you haven't earned it and so the pride and satisfaction that comes with having nice things isn't there. All you are left with is the 'pleasure' of having things that others can't have, which I don't get, as the things themselves would not satisfy for long.
You could give up work and not worry about things, but there are only so many holidays you can go on before that no longer satisfies.
You could give it all away I suppose. That would be a good thing to do, but how many really would and not then later regret it? Might as well have not won it in the first place?
Like all gambling, the lottery is a mugs game and I think anybody playing it should be very careful of what they wish for.
markcoznottz said:
If you’ve bought a ticket then you’ve paid for the chance to win, youve earned the right to that chance. Best thing for most people would be to tell the boss they hate to F off. Worst thing? Dealing with friends /family. Worse if you are from a ‘poorer’ background. British people don’t tend to like anyone having a £ more than them. I mean really, really, don’t like.
Hence the reason you’d soon find that you’d need to go somewhere that that sort of money wouldn’t raise an eyebrow. The lottery people peddle the ‘wonderful lifestyle’, all big houses, and yachts. They tend not to be so open about the begging letters, death threats, and every skeleton, in every closet ever, coming out to try their luck. The smart ones keep schtum. It’s easier said than done, particularly for the ‘typical’ lottery chancer.
Maximus_Meridius101 said:
Hence the reason you’d soon find that you’d need to go somewhere that that sort of money wouldn’t raise an eyebrow. The lottery people peddle the ‘wonderful lifestyle’, all big houses, and yachts. They tend not to be so open about the begging letters, death threats, and every skeleton, in every closet ever, coming out to try their luck. The smart ones keep schtum. It’s easier said than done, particularly for the ‘typical’ lottery chancer.
as I understand it Lotto provides a lot of help (or various types) for winners - but only if they go publicDodgyGeezer said:
Maximus_Meridius101 said:
Hence the reason you’d soon find that you’d need to go somewhere that that sort of money wouldn’t raise an eyebrow. The lottery people peddle the ‘wonderful lifestyle’, all big houses, and yachts. They tend not to be so open about the begging letters, death threats, and every skeleton, in every closet ever, coming out to try their luck. The smart ones keep schtum. It’s easier said than done, particularly for the ‘typical’ lottery chancer.
as I understand it Lotto provides a lot of help (or various types) for winners - but only if they go publicThere was a classic Psychology study done in 1978 that compared happiness levels of lottery winners with people who’d lost limbs in accidents. On average, the winners’ ratings of everyday happiness were 3.33 out of 5, and the accident victims’ averaged answers were 3.48. Some measures of the accident groups’ lives were less happy, but not by much.
Apparently it’s all down to the effect whereby you pretty much get used to anything, good or bad. So even if you think a lottery win will make you happier, it probably won’t.
Good explanation of it here:
https://www.thecut.com/2016/01/classic-study-on-ha...
I did hear of a solution though: lottery Russian Roulette. Every week you choose your numbers but don’t buy a ticket. You then have a very high probability of a moment of smugness, but also a tiny risk of total devastation.
Apparently it’s all down to the effect whereby you pretty much get used to anything, good or bad. So even if you think a lottery win will make you happier, it probably won’t.
Good explanation of it here:
https://www.thecut.com/2016/01/classic-study-on-ha...
I did hear of a solution though: lottery Russian Roulette. Every week you choose your numbers but don’t buy a ticket. You then have a very high probability of a moment of smugness, but also a tiny risk of total devastation.
DodgyGeezer said:
as I understand it Lotto provides a lot of help (or various types) for winners - but only if they go public
They provide vast amounts of help for the lifetime of the winner - I know someone who used to work for what was Dickinson Dees that used to have the lottery wealth management account and he used to be a HNW liaison SVP for them - lots of assistance provided to anyone public or not. Many also declined it, figuring they’d go it their own way and knew better.
Jasandjules said:
The Rotrex Kid said:
MikeM6 said:
Winning money means you haven't earned it and so the pride and satisfaction that comes with having nice things isn't there.
Only on PH 
Jasandjules said:
The Rotrex Kid said:
MikeM6 said:
Winning money means you haven't earned it and so the pride and satisfaction that comes with having nice things isn't there.
Only on PH It's also not just PH, I think there is a well published link between winning the lottery and being unhappy.
MikeM6 said:
You may laugh, but whether you drive a LADA or a Lamborghini, it will be much more enjoyable if you worked hard for it. Money and nice things will not make you happy for long.
It's also not just PH, I think there is a well published link between winning the lottery and being unhappy.
Yes … There a few very public examples of this link … however considering the lottery has made nearly 6000 millionaires the majority of which you never hear from as they stay privet and there is zero reason to believe they are unhappy.It's also not just PH, I think there is a well published link between winning the lottery and being unhappy.
67Dino said:
There was a classic Psychology study done in 1978 that compared happiness levels of lottery winners with people who’d lost limbs in accidents. On average, the winners’ ratings of everyday happiness were 3.33 out of 5, and the accident victims’ averaged answers were 3.48. Some measures of the accident groups’ lives were less happy, but not by much.
So if you won the lottery AND lost a limb you would be slightly happier than just a lottery win ?Now that's something new to think about.....
MikeM6 said:
You may laugh, but whether you drive a LADA or a Lamborghini, it will be much more enjoyable if you worked hard for it.
Nope, not now it doesn’t. Soshal Meeja has a lot to answer for on that score.
MikeM6 said:
Money and nice things will not make you happy for long.
True.MikeM6 said:
It's also not just PH, I think it is well now that winning the lottery has a strong correlation with being unhappy.
Quite right.I don't know anyone who's won the lottery but the owners of the company I used to work for sold it for a very substantial 8 figure sum, split between three of them so effectively a lottery win (although not really in that they worked very, very hard for it and took substantial risks so it was by no means handed to them on a plate).
They all immediately retired a long way before the 'official' retirement age and, from what I can tell on social media, are all really enjoying themselves. It certainly doesn't seem to have become a burden to any of them.
They all immediately retired a long way before the 'official' retirement age and, from what I can tell on social media, are all really enjoying themselves. It certainly doesn't seem to have become a burden to any of them.
MikeM6 said:
You may laugh, but whether you drive a LADA or a Lamborghini, it will be much more enjoyable if you worked hard for it. Money and nice things will not make you happy for long.
It's also not just PH, I think there is a well published link between winning the lottery and being unhappy.
I have worked fairly hard in my life, I have a TVR, E Class Cabrio and a C Class estate. I will however never be able to afford a DB11 Volante but if I won the lottery I would get one and love it just as much as the other cars I have I am sure. It's also not just PH, I think there is a well published link between winning the lottery and being unhappy.
You also seem to ignore the fact that money can help others, there are so many things I could do. 30k per year to my local animal rescue for example would make the world of difference to them. Friends need 10k to try for a baby, I would happily give it them. Can you imagine if it worked? I mean, how much joy would that give?!?!
I am not hugely materialistic, I won't be looking at 100k watches etc but being able to ensure my kids have a solid backing would be a weight off my shoulders and being able to help out others - I mean, the other day I saw a dog needed 2k worth of surgery and the funds had made 1k, imagine being able to say to the owner "I will match the 1k, get the dog the surgery he needs)... A decent sum of money would enable me to do all sorts of things like that.
Jasandjules said:
MikeM6 said:
You may laugh, but whether you drive a LADA or a Lamborghini, it will be much more enjoyable if you worked hard for it. Money and nice things will not make you happy for long.
It's also not just PH, I think there is a well published link between winning the lottery and being unhappy.
I have worked fairly hard in my life, I have a TVR, E Class Cabrio and a C Class estate. I will however never be able to afford a DB11 Volante but if I won the lottery I would get one and love it just as much as the other cars I have I am sure. It's also not just PH, I think there is a well published link between winning the lottery and being unhappy.
You also seem to ignore the fact that money can help others, there are so many things I could do. 30k per year to my local animal rescue for example would make the world of difference to them. Friends need 10k to try for a baby, I would happily give it them. Can you imagine if it worked? I mean, how much joy would that give?!?!
I am not hugely materialistic, I won't be looking at 100k watches etc but being able to ensure my kids have a solid backing would be a weight off my shoulders and being able to help out others - I mean, the other day I saw a dog needed 2k worth of surgery and the funds had made 1k, imagine being able to say to the owner "I will match the 1k, get the dog the surgery he needs)... A decent sum of money would enable me to do all sorts of things like that.
A couple where I live won £15 million and did all manner of wonderful things with it. They ran a scout troop in a pretty deprived area and chartered a plane to take all the kids to Canada, bought a plot of woodland to stop it being bought by housing developers and donated that to the scout troop and made a substantial investment into the local fourth division\conference football team.
Sadly the husband died only a few years after winning it but they both are totally inspirational and selfless people. It couldn't have been won by anyone better tbh.
Absolutely. I'm aware that I'm still young etc.. but I've got a pretty good idea on what I'd do in a "money is never going to be a problem" type scenario. I'd make sure my immediate family never have to work again in their lives and then go a buy a nice big farmhouse, a horse, a dog, some good camera equipment, lots of cars and lots of petrol.
I'll keep you all informed should this highly unlikely situation arise.
I'll keep you all informed should this highly unlikely situation arise.
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