Whilst having a super lovely catch up with my friends last week, this question came up:


Actually, that wasn't the question exactly. The actual question was what would you do if you won the lottery but, religiously, I can't play the lottery - it's ok, I'm actually ok with this so please don't worry yourself too much. Therefore I tweaked the question a little. The question is still the same because the focus here isn't on where the money had come from, it's what you'd do once you had it.

What I'd do if I came into a lot of money, for myself, - is what I've always wanted to do and in actual fact, I don't need money to do this. See, my grand master plan, in an ideal world, ultimately, would be to leave - travel the world. I'd work random jobs, meet amazing people and eat way to much food. I'd volunteer along the way and help in any way I can, hopefully teach and write.

That's it. That's what I want to do. Here's the thing, my answer here, doesn't depend on money. What struck me is that, for myself, I wouldn't actually use much of it.

Ok, granted, if I had more money I'd be able to fund further study for myself and buy a house - which I could then rent out whilst I travelled, but that wasn't my first thought when asked this question. My first thought is to do something that doesn't depend on money, something that I can do already. How stupid is that?!

For sure I'd spend the money - I'd give some to family members or buy investments for them (like a house, flat, fund business/study - something that will help them in the long term). I'd help towards that deposit my friend has been working so hard to save, I'd fund study for my friends, help to buy out the flat one lives in so he can have it for himself. I'd help another start a business and complete her studies. I'd donate to charities - build wells, houses, hospitals, bridges and roads. Give to schools and universities, help to build more educational establishments and I'd pour money into research. And then, the rest, I'd put it into my bank account and save it for a rainy day, use a little where I needed it, just dip into it, it'd be my safety net if, for some reason, I ever has to stop working.

And that's it, that's what I'd do. Only I don't really need all of that money to do what I really want do I?

Maybe money isn't always as important as we make it out to be. Yes, it can buy us things and make us feel good, it can be a step in the right direction towards achieving our dreams, but, we should be our own driving forces. We are the root to our own happiness.


What would your answer be? What would you do if you came into a lot of money?