What If I Won the Powerball
(A Thought Experiment)
Three weeks ago, I played the Powerball with a friend. Midwest living brought a hot streak at our euchre club. Three loner hands and some wins later, we found ourselves buying a Powerball ticket on our way home. The Jackpot was somewhere in the neighborhood of 540 million. We both threw in 10 bucks and chased dreams of an easy life. After the lump sum and the split we would clear 125 million each. This seemed like enough for two families to live on. Agreeing to buy matching Teslas and make our new jobs giving a large sums of money away.
Buying a Powerball ticket was also a teachable moment for my friends 7th grade daughter. We talked about how the Lottery considered by some to be a 'poor tax’. We talked about it as ‘entertainment’, for two middle class, privileged white guys, who spends more money on craft beer in a month than lottery tickets we talked about it as something fun to do. We talked about people who play the lottery who do not have the discretionary income to do so. Easy for us to say. We did not winthat first Powerball attempt. Despite spending $21, even an extra $1 on a random gas station charity, a little extra charity never hurts. I have not won any drawing since, not even the tellthebell,com survey. No expectation to win tonight, but I have my ticket. The only thing you can do to increase your odds of winning, buy one single ticket. This encounter planted an idea, it incepted me.
Ideas turn into dreams. Dreams into fantasies. I became lost in a daydream of 'What if...' Twice a week for the next year, I will buy a Powerball ticket, blog my thoughts, feelings, hopes, ideas, and plans for that sweet Powerball money! The Powerball thought experiment has re-framed my thinking. ‘What if I won the Powerball?’ What would I do with my life, my time, my vocation, my energy? What does one do when money is not a concern? What if I lived life as one who won the Powerball? Not finacally, because that would be crazy irresponsible! But with my time, energy, vocation, with all the things that mattered most in my life. It is strange that the Powerball can be a refocusing exercise. Clarity in life comes from unexpected places. Reminding oneself that you already possess everything you need. So how does one live this way?