My mom likes playing lottery games.
Most weeks she buys one or two tickets, I think, and maybe for both the Wednesday and Saturday drawings.
For her it’s essentially a source of entertainment, less costly than me spending $8 to see a movie, once or twice a month.
It gives her something for which to look forward, the possibility of hitting it big, so she would never have to worry about my sister or I ever not having enough money.
(It’s not out of greed for herself, it’s out of her generous nature for her children.)
So what did I tell her when she suggested I buy a ticket, when last week the jackpot was like 400 million, or later when she asked whether I bought it, because a few people from Arizona won $1 million?
I said I had not bought a ticket.
I did not also say that the idea of wasting money on lottery tickets almost makes me cringe.
Because it’s rooted in scarcity/fear/lack mentality, where people without much money spend it on “the dream”, and further reinforce the pattern or behavior of hoping for something outside themselves to five them “money for nothing”, and take care of all their problems.
Napoleon Hill who studied what the super-wealthy did differently than the masses over 25 years called this desire for “something for nothing” one of the greatest epidemics that keep people poor and needy.
Whereas, in stark contrast, wealthy people are self-made.
They know that money is earned, in exchange for one’s focus on providing value to others… more specifically giving a group of people what they want, better than anyone else provides it.
The reward for that focus on “Being of Service” is directly proportionate to how well one does that.
If you do buy lottery tickets, “just for fun” as my mom does, without ‘needing’ to win, or expecting to win… just for something to hold your interest, that’s harmless enough, as long as the money you spend is not needed elsewhere.
However, I would rather see everyone betting on a sure thing… themselves!!!
Let’s do this right now…
What do you love doing, which you would do whether you’re paid for it, or not, because it’s so fun for you to do?
What is the clear, concise way of expressing what that is, from the perspective of others, why they need it, what it will do for them, and how great it will be when they get it from you?
Why would they get it from you, instead of anyone else?
What’s your best way of letting people know your answers to these questions?
What’s your plan for doing that?
What skills do you need to do that more effectively?
Notice it all starts with your focus on doing all you can to make as much of a difference as you can… to as many people as you can.
In fact, that right there is your life purpose! It’s why each of us is here.
When I say that each dollar you spend – invest, really – in yourself is like a winning lottery ticket, that’s true… as long as you invest in “Right Knowledge”, meaning you carefully make sure that the training you’re considering giving yourself would truly benefit you… and that you implement it to live more effectively.
What you do with it is entirely up to you, so that’s well within your control.
Share your examples of how much knowledge you’ve invested in learning has been better than a winning lottery ticket.
One example that comes to mind for me was buying 100 copies of a guy’s book for $2,000, to get a bonus that included a ticket to his marketing seminar in Nashville. That led to he and I doing the “Think And Grow Rich Achievers Mastermind”, which was one of the best things I’ve ever done. Out of that came “Rediscover Think and Grow Rich”, “How to Be a Think and Grow Rich Millionaire”, “Mining the 10,000 Gold Mines in Think and Grow Rich”, and more recently the “$120,000 Ultimate Empowerment Training”.
I also met and befriended several of the top speakers there, one of whom has been my marketing consultant for four or five years. That’s been quite helpful for me, as well. I’ve also become an investor in his business.
How much of a priority have you made “learning and growing and becoming a better person”?
I consider that the most valuable investment anyone can make. Hopefully that’s obvious, although if it’s not, think about it…
The investment you make in bettering yourself allows you to have greater impact on others, which is why we’re all here. So the more we invest in ourselves, the better we’re able to Serve… the more of our potential we fulfill… and the better we achieve our life purpose.
What could be more appropriate, if not also important, than that?
The best training I know about to give yourself, for the money, hands-down, is the “30-Day Rebuilding-Greatness Challenge” through http://www.WeAreRebuildingAmerica.com.
Although if you’re already successful and want to focus on reaching the highest levels of success, making sure you’re fulfilling your potential and living your purpose, then I would recommend you do the $120,000 Ultimate Empowerment Training, because that’s where billionaires are created.
By the way, I mentioned that my mom won the lottery. So how much did she win? $8! What’s she planning to do with her winnings? You guessed it… buy more lottery tickets!
What was it worth to her? Apparently more value in fun, and entertainment, than it cost her.
I attract wealth with ease. I am a money magnet that draws wealth. It stays in my hands without being wasted.