"What would you do with one million dollars?"
This was a question asked in an ADSactly voice hangout (@ADSactly) last week and the host challenged attendees to answer that BIG question in a blog post. I wanted to take a few days to let that question sit with me to I could answer it from my heart...Why do I need a few days? The answer is easy right...Invest it, pay off debts, start a business.
That's the copy and paste answer and I really wanted to think about how I would not only act with a million bucks in my pocket, but share some life lessons as someone who has owned a million dollar company and literally...Let it slip away.
So this post is part testimonial but also an attempt to answer the question lots of people dream about each and every day...
When my business was thriving I was a cocky S.O.B...
I had a huge ego and fought anyone that disagreed with me on how business was to be run. I burned lots of bridges and alienated some of my closest business relationships because of...That ego and pride I had. Not a single person to blame but myself. And because of that along with situations beyond my control...Business suffered.
I tried to right the ship and mend fences. I worked for years trying to keep things afloat. As well, I was diving into personal development books to get rid of the ego that almost ruined me...But that was only part of the problem....
I had to grow up.
And that's a tough thing to convince a successful 30-something year old male...
Long story short...Money gave me a big ego and a rotten attitude. Was I unhappy about something in my life? What was eating at me? I had a successful business but I was extremely unhappy. It took some crashing and burning to find the answer to those questions but I thank God that it did....
Let's get back to that question....
So what would I do with 1 million dollars?
I didn't come from wealth at all. In fact I remember my mom's 'pay days' every second Thursday and being thankful that we could buy food for the next few weeks. So when I started seeing success in my late 20's, I didn't know what to do with the money I was making. I blew it on drinks, cars, expensive trips and a whole lot of attempting to impress others with my money.
There's ego and pride again...Rearing it's ugly head.
Thankfully...I've grown up...Ever so slowly :)
The first thing I would do, is pray and be thankful for what I have now. That's the kicker in all this...Money doesn't make you happy. In fact it attracts the ugly side of your character and let's it become the focus of your life. I believe this is the first path to true wealth...Being thankful for what you have right now! Right here!
Should we want more? Part of being an entrepreneur is striving to be better than you were the day before. So of course I would want to build better businesses and better relationships...But never 'for money' alone.
But let's just say, the money ferry decided to stick 1 million bucks in my pocket, here's my answer;
My faith played a big part in me 'growing up' over the past few years. So I would love to give back to my church and help them spread the gospel to others. For me, nothing is more important than my relationship with God and I'm blessed to be able to just TYPE these words alone...Some healthy offerings would be on the agenda for me :)
I'd make sure my family was taken care of. We don't need much and my experiences have taught me, that money doesn't make one happy...However just knowing that my family is taken care of and I could relieve some of their stress would go a long way :)
I would continue to lend to Kiva. I've been doing this since 2010 and it is a true passion of mine. This sounds weird, but I love to give. Part of the human experience is to give and projects like Kiva kill two birds with one stone for me...Promoting entrepreneurship around the world and giving back! So a big chunk of my money and time would be dedicated to that.
I'd make sure my businesses got the tender loving care my customers deserve. Whether it's a brand new paint job or some serious coding improvements...I'd love to get my businesses back to full throttle.
I'd power up LOL Let's be honest...I love Steem and everything it has the potential to become. So a chunk of it would go into Steem Power so I could help develop the ideas I have that I think could benefit the entire blockchain.
No crazy travelling. No huge house purchase. And no cars and jewellery.
To be honest, I lived that through my 30's and I'll never fall for that trap again. Material stuff doesn't matter. What matters is the relationships you have in your life....Sounds corny I know, but believe me....Real relationships last forever, material things come and go.
So summing it all up...
What would I do with 1 million dollars?
I'm not sure I'm ready for a million dollars. I'm on a journey to re-invent myself and if it's my future, it'll be there when the time is right :)
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