I have always mocked and talked disparagingly about people who win the lottery jackpot and say things like "I'll still go to work" or "It won't really change me", until I had a bit of an insight during counselling this morning. People who win a large amount and immediately give up work and move house are making a statement about their level of connection and commitment to their work and their community; the chances are that they have bought a lottery ticket because they are dissatisfied with their life and think that winning a large sum of money will make their life better. People who win a large amount but stay put (with some changes: more expensive holidays, buying houses for their children, etc) are also making a statement about their level of commitment to their work and community; it's likely that, along with the rest of the human race, they have had things they don't like about their life; the difference is that they have invested time and effort into finding a productive and satisfying job and/or a group of friends and becoming part of a community.
From this point of view, people who have invested in and engaged with their life are winners whether they have a lucky lottery ticket or not; people who are looking to the lottery to provide them with a whole new life may be losers even if they win.
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