The Irony of Sudden Wealth

"What's the point, man?!?"

I've had the privilege of spending time with a few dozen people who became very rich, very quickly. I'm talking rich rich. Buy anything you want rich. Never worry about money again rich. Each person's story varies, but there are a few common triggers for the sudden wealth: professional athletes, lottery winners, inheritors, and founders.

On the surface, we look at these people with jealousy and hope that someday we will be as fortunate as them. That feeling is what causes tens of millions of Americans to play the lottery each week: the mere chance to strike proverbial gold.

More often than not, however, being suddenly wealthy isn't all it appears from the outside looking in. It's called Sudden Wealth Syndrome. It's a psychological condition that manifests in a number of different ways, including isolation, paranoia, addiction, and hangers-on.

But there's one Sudden Wealth Syndrome manifestation I want to lean into today: loss of meaning. Think about your life. You probably have to go to work, make money, and pay for your family's needs and wants. When you wake up in the morning, you have a purpose and a goal. If you serve people well, you are rewarded. If you don't, well, that's not a fun road. Whether you love your work or hate your work, there's still purpose behind it.

People with extravagant wealth, however, don't have that embedded purpose in their life. Oftentimes, their life is like a boat without a rudder. A very large, flashy, and expensive boat, but without a rudder nonetheless.

"What's the point, man?!?!" my friend loudly exclaimed, in a tone full of anguish and frustration. On the surface, this man is the winner of winners. Due to recent circumstances, he found himself in a reality he could only imagine in his dreams. He had tens of millions of dollars, with a high likelihood of tens (or hundreds) more.

Until recently, though, his life looked much different. He was ambitious, hungry, and had big dreams for himself. He had a rock-solid work ethic and a motor to achieve. He was happy! Then, it happened. The money happened. Practically overnight, he would never worry about money again for the rest of his life. He bought a house for himself, one for his parents, another for himself, a couple of cars, a bunch of toys, and a new wardrobe. He looked the part.

"What's the point, man?!?!" Despite having it all, he suddenly felt empty. When he woke up in the morning, there was no purpose, no mission. He could literally lay in bed, all day, every day, for the next 200 years and never run out of money. He had everything, and he had nothing.

He wanted to talk about money, but I wanted to talk about work. Whether we like it or not, work that matters matters. The science continually points to work being one of the primary drivers of happiness and fulfillment in humans, yet we spend the bulk of our adult lives trying to escape work. I find it ironic.

I'll share more about this friend in the near future, but I'll give you a little teaser: he got a job. The old him is back. He's really rich, still, but he has meaning and purpose.

Interesting.....

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