 |
[RC] Won a million bucks - k s swigartTracey said: BTW...on the "if I won a million dollars note"... Sorry Scott...think what you may but I have learned the hard way that Money DOES NOT buy happieness ...and it no longer motivates me. And she could have learned the even harder way by actually winning a million dollars. :) Not too long ago, the State of California did a study on California Lottery winners to deterimine how their lives had changed since winning. Almost invariably (I don't know the exact percentage)they said that they liked their lives better before they had won the lottery. The state doesn't actually make a point of publishing these results because it is hardly going to encourage people to continue playing; however, it is worthwhile to note that the State no longer uses individual winners in their advertising along with the tag line "this could be you." despite the fact that one of the conditions of winning (at least it used to be) is that you must agree to allow your name and likeness to be used to advertise your good fortune. So while there are plenty of people who have made their lives miserable in pursuit of riches through stress, 100 hour work weeks, etc. and there are also plenty of people who have decided that they would rather step off the riches ladder and just take the time to enjoy what they have, there are also a few people who have gotten their riches without having to sacrifice all their time (i.e. they won a million bucks), and found that even getting it for nothing didn't lead to improvements. On the other hand, there are also plenty of people who thoroughly enjoy the "rat race" and subject themselves to a lifestyle that few other people would enjoy in pursuit of riches. In management speak (people actually do talk about these things), it is a question of whether an individual is a maximizer or a sufficer. Are you of the opinion that better is the enemy of good enough of that good enough is the enemy of better? When I asked this question of a physicist, he told me that it was an absurd question because there is no such thing as better than good enough (i.e. if there is something better than good enough, then good enough wasn't good enough :)) The fact is everybody, even endurance riders, have different opinions about what is "good enough." But certainly, like my physicist friend stated, pursuing anything beyond that is foolish (and counter-productive). Me? I appear to be like many other people on this list, "good enough" is defined as enough money and enough free time to play with my horses. If pursuing more money cuts into the free time to play, then that pursuit isn't worth it. Occasionally, I have silly ideas that I could save the world, but then I realize that that would cut into the time with my horses and abandon them :). kat Orange County, Calif. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|