The Dark Side of Sudden Money!

 It’s a dream that grips the imaginations of millions of people: winning the lottery. When those lucky numbers are called, it seems that life is about to be a fairytale. But for many the truth is a quite a different reality post-the-big-winthelottery-moment. The most interesting lottery stories, in some ways, are the ones about losing and winning it back. These real-life stories are testament to the redemptive nature of second chances and offer key insights on how to manage an unexpected windfall.

Most people who winthelottery are surprises by how quickly things can change. The false sense of invincibility that comes from aspiring to financial freedom is where so many wheels fall off. Unprepared, some winners spend lavishly, trust the wrong people or lose their connection to what matters most in their lives.

Take Mark, who, after his winthelottery success, filled his life with a big house, flash cars and extravagant parties. He thought he could purchase happiness and friends, he explains, but after a few years, he lost most of his fortune. Mark’s story is not unique. Fact is, a lot of lottery winners lose all their money in a matter of years. The blast of unexpected riches can showcase the most admirable and least appealing aspects of people, and sometimes the issues it uncovers are problems money can’t solve.

Stories of Loss

There are many ways for a winthelottery win to turn into a loss. There are legends of winners who lost it all to scams, lawsuits or addictions. Some have frayed their family relationships or destroyed them, and all have confronted depression and loneliness even with all their wealth. Perhaps the most well-known example is Jane, who won a big jackpot then was swarmed by requests from hangers-on who wanted money from her. She gave freely at the outset, but as the requests mounted, she grew tired and withdrawn. Jane was eventually left alone; a good portion of her fortune having disappeared.

These are among the powerful lessons that happen when you win the lottery, life doesn’t necessary solve itself. It can actually exacerbate the ones we already have.

Finding Redemption

But there are also remarkable tales of recovery that come in the wake of these losses. Many past winners who have hit hard times have gone on to turn their lives around. After Mark lost everything but a fraction of his fortune, he searched out financial planning, scaled down his lifestyle, and reinvented his life around serving others. Now, he draws from his experience, using his win to warn new winners of some of its pitfalls.

Jane made her way back as well. With the help of genuine friends and professional counseling, she learned to set boundaries, and created meaning by starting a charity. In the process of losing everything, they both learned that the measure of one’s wealth is not how much money you have but how you use money to enrich your own life and the lives of others.

The Winthelottery Message

If you have a winthelottery fantasy of your own, consider these tales of loss and redemption to be a step-by-step guide. Hitting the lottery can be the way to a new life, but not if you’re not ready for the trip. Look ahead, try to stay calm, seek expert advice and recall the painful lessons learnt by those who have tread the path before you. True joy and redemption don’t come from a bank account, but from living wisely and generously after the win.