This past week those of us in Texas and other states faced the prospect of having a chance to win one of the largest Mega Millions jackpots of all time – a whopping $656 million.  In the days leading up each drawing, people began lining up for tickets, optimistic in their chances for winning.  Just on my Facebook page alone, several of my friends said things like:

“Don’t bother buying one, I have the winning ticket.”

“I won’t be going to work on Monday”

Amazing the optimism since the estimated odds at winning the jackpot stood at 1 in 176 million. By Friday night, after it had grown for more than nine weeks, Americans had spent nearly $1.5 billion on Mega Millions tickets — the equivalent of nearly $5 for every man, woman and child in the USA. They spent more than $429 million on Friday alone.  The average purchase was four tickets per person.

Large jackpots also bring forth the requisite comparisons on the odds of winning.  Here are a few:

You are 18 to 120 times more likely to die from a flesh-eating bacteria than to win the lottery (1 chance in 1 million).

What are the chances that if you’re playing with a group of four that two of you will get a hole-in-one on the exact same hole? At 17 million to 1, they’re better than the chances of you winning the lottery.

What about dying from a snake bite or bee sting? You’re 180 to 1,200 times more likely to die from one of these incidents than win the lottery. That’s because the probability of dying from a snake bite or bee sting is about 100,000 to 1.

You are 30,000% to 200,000% more likely to die in a legal execution than to win the lottery.

Here’s an interesting thought:  Aside from winning the Mega Millions, your chance of doing most anything else productive and fun in your life is actually 1 in 3.  How does this work?

For every request, there are three possible answers:

Yes

No

Let me think about it/maybe

So, if that holds true, here are some interesting things to consider:

You want a raise at work?  Your odds are 1 in 3.

Want that certain somebody to go out on a date with you?  Your odds are 1 in 3.

Want to get that college degree?  Your odds of success are 1 in 2.

Want to lose weight this year?  Your chance of success is 1 in 2.

Need to get over your fear of public speaking?  Odds of success are 1 in 2.

For most anything in life we really need, the odds are actually pretty good.  Dreamers hope a lottery ticket will solve all of their problems. Doers do a series of small things, each day, to ensure success.  Doers aren’t afraid to ask for something because the odds of success are either 1 in 2 or 1 in 3.  If that’s the case, why would anyone sit back and depend on a Mega Millions ticket to save the day?

Sure it’s fun to dream.  I wouldn’t mind getting a chunk of $656 million.  Realistically though, I know my potential for success is in my own hands.  I’ll take those odds any day.

This week, ask yourself: Am I a dreamer or a doer?  If you’re a doer, then get busy doing!  If you’re a dreamer?  Well….pleasant dreams….