When I walked into work this morning, our referral clerk called my name and asked if I wanted to buy a lottery ticket. The Mega Millions lottery had an estimated $640 million dollar jackpot and everyone else in the clinic had chipped in $3 to an office pool. I hesitated on principal as such lotteries are a losing bet. With the jackpot size and potential gain, it was not as big of a losing bet, at least, as usual.
She pointed out that if I didn’t participate, I might be the only one to show up for work on Monday. “You’d quit your job if you won?” I asked. “Well, I’d give my two week notice,” she replied. For the first time in my life, I handed over my hard earned money for a lottery ticket.
My definition of the ultimate in job satisfaction is whether one would keep one’s job after winning a large lottery. Steve Job, Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and many others could have quit their jobs a long time ago, but did not do so because they enjoyed working.
I wouldn’t retire if I won the lottery because I enjoy practicing medicine. But I would change how I work. I would see less patients per day and spend more time with each one. I’d take more vacation, and pay someone to do the paperwork.
So if I win then I won’t have to write this blog anymore. Wait a minute, I’m not getting paid for this in any case. So win or lose, I’ll keep writing.
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It would have been nice if you would have won. IF I was one of the lucky patients whom you kept.
I have to admit that I didn’t buy a ticket. The size of the prize was attractive. However, it wasn’t attractive enough to make a special trip and I didn’t happen upon a vendor before the drawing. Oh well.
Actually I have an update. We did win. Unfortunately it was only $4. Divided by the number of people in the pool, I won 22 cents! We decided to reinvest our winnings in 4 more tickets. There is still hope…