Hope and Dreams
I bought five tickets. My hopes were high. Even though I had a one in 24.87 chance in winning any prize, I dreamed of what I would do with a billion dollars (yes, I know. Taxes, etc. It’s not really a billion dollars.). It was fun to imagine a life without the stress of work. I imagined all the fun things I would do with my time if I was free from the burden of grinding out another week.
Then I stopped and considered, ‘what would I miss if I didn’t work?‘ I would miss my clients, my co-workers and the normalcy of what I do. In all honesty, I am completely lost when I have vacation. I went almost two years without a vacation at one point recently just because of the pandemic and there was nowhere I really wanted to go. Work was my anchor in life. When I was finally forced to take a vacation I didn’t know what to do with myself. What would I do if I didn’t have work at all?
Financial Stability: That’s the fallacy. Work defines who I am in my own mind but that is not really who I am. In a dynamic and diverse country like the United States, success means many things to many people. To me, it means financial prosperity including having a stable income, owning a home, and being able to help others. In the U.S., financial success often symbolizes the ability to access education, healthcare, and a higher standard of living, but is that an authentic description of success?
Career Accomplishments: Climbing the career ladder and achieving professional goals is another key component of success in the United States. Landing your dream job, advancing in your field, and making a positive impact in your industry are measures of success that we often use. In America success is often associated with personal fulfillment and a sense of purpose. If I had won the lottery, I likely would not be able to continue doing the kind of work that I do and would have to pivot my focus. I see athletes struggle with this kind of career pivot when their athletic career ends and they have to consider how they will redefine themselves. Winning the lottery is starting to not look like the blessing that I thought it could be.
Entrepreneurship: The U.S. is renowned for its entrepreneurial spirit, and starting your own business is considered a remarkable achievement. Entrepreneurial success is about innovation, taking risks, and creating a sustainable venture. I love writing and started CalmJourney.org this year as a way to help educate people about mental illness and provide tools and resources to elevate the quality of life of others. Winning the lottery might allow me to spend more time on CalmJourney.org and reach more people.
The meaning of success in the United States is as diverse as the country itself. It’s about pursuing your unique path, whether that leads to financial prosperity, career accomplishments, personal fulfillment, or community impact. And the American Dream? It’s still alive, but it now embraces a broader spectrum of values beyond just material wealth. I may not have won the lottery last night but I am still living the dream. I have a beautiful family, a great job and my faith. Will I buy another lottery ticket? Probably. It’s really more about the fun of dreaming than believing I would actually win it.
Calm Journey 