Success: Self Made or Advantaged

No one is born successful. Each of us is given a bag of tools and do with them what we choose, rich or poor. Some build castles, others sit on their ass and do nothing.

I take comments about silver spooned kids personally. My kids had cars and toys growing up but they also had to earn good grades and be an example of good behavior as representatives of our family. Today they are all college educated and have solid career paths and great marriages.

The only definition of success that means anything to me is having the financial freedom to do as I wish, when I wish and to not be responsible to a boss or a board for any of my actions. It is the freedom to whatever I feel whenever I want. I presume you want that also. I know you want that for your kids.

A cool million, huh?
I am old enough to be relatively free of debt for three reasons;
1. I never have had much money, nor desires for things before I could afford them.
2. I have a wife that manages our money quite well.
3. My two offspring did not grow up wanting every new thing that came along.

If I had the million, I think I would split it in thirds. 1/3 would be in the bank mostly as CDs, 1/3 would be again split in 3 parts, all invested in stocks, bonds, and futures, and the other 1/3 would be gifted to my two sons. One of them would gradually blow it all and the other would put it to work and grow it.