We all see the articles of the winners of jackpots and lotteries. They tell the reporters of all the great things they will be doing with the winnings. In a few years, there is almost always a report of their ruin. It details how they ran through their millions and are now bankrupt. According to the New York Times, this is what happens to around seventy percent of those lucky winners. There are a few that do end up with success after claiming their prizes. Let’s see what they decided to do differently.
Neal Wanless
Neal was a cowboy, and his ranch was not being as successful as it could. Along with working their land, they also did side jobs like selling scrap metal to make ends meet. On a trip to the feed store, Neal decided to buy a ticket. He won and took the lump sum of $88.5 million. He used it to catch up on payments and keep the ranch going. Another way he used his money was to help the community that had helped his family. His family and community will forever be different because of his generosity.
Brad Duke
A fitness instructor, Brad Duke, was a lottery winner of $220 million. When he found out the amount of money he won, his first thoughts were staying grounded. Knowing how many winners end up bankrupt kept him focused. He did not tell anyone about winning for a few weeks. Brad did not stop working until too many people found out about his winnings and made it hard for him to work. Another critical factor is that he was focused on growing his money and hired a financial team to guide him. The correct mindset was the key to Brad’s success.
Cynthia Stafford
As a single mother of five, Cynthis Stafford, did not have a lot of money to spare. She has an exciting story of first almost daydreaming of the amount of money she wanted to win. The number that came to mind was $112 million. She even slept with the number under her pillow. She was dreaming of what she would do when she had the money. When she won that same money, she attributed her luck to the law of attraction. Instead of blowing all her winnings, she started a film company and started her dream job for herself. Making her money turn around a make her money.
Common Factors
Over half of the winners of large sums of money end up worse off than they started. What all these people had in common is a plan. Each took their winnings and used it for a specific purpose. They found ways to benefit and improve their lives and those that meant the most to them. Having the proper guidance was another common factor among these three winners. They also tried hard to stay grounded and not run off and live like the millionaires they were.
