30m. If I changed my stupid ass decisions, I might be better off in some ways, but I would never change anything if it meant giving up my kids. 9,8,6,2.5 Life is pretty fantastic right now. Lean checking account or not.

Take the money and run.

If I went back, and tried to make the changes I think I would, based on what I know know, I likely would not have made it this far.

I screwed up enough in the process getting to this place in life.

Having the benefit of the experiences I have now, I could make that $30 do a lot of good for a lot of people. Me? I don't need much, and knowing that, the money would be the better choice.

The 30 million. I made only a few mistakes, and I learned important lessons from those learning experiences.

$30M. Easy.

I haven't really made any MAJOR mistakes I don't think.

Back in time - I don't even have to think about it. First, I would not make the mistakes I made, and second, I would invest in the proper startups and be worth much, much more than 30 million by the time I got to be the age I am now.

I always say I wish I could go back in time, knowing what I know now, and do things differently.

But 30 million dollars could fix all my mistakes anyway, so....

I'll just take the money

Knowing what I know, back in time. All I need to remember are things like Apple, Google, and bitcoin. Invest every penny I can get my hands on.

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
$30 million please. I'll take cash or certified check.

The past is the past.

Right here. I have no regrets and things probably happened for a reason. I wouldn't change a thing.

Well, the only thing I really regret was choosing football instead of baseball. I have a great life with a hottie wife and fantastic kids. My problem is those football injuries are rearing their ugly head with a vengeance. I will be replacing a knee soon, just had cervical reconstruction surgery. Vicious head, neck, knee, back pain. Back surgeries, injections, radio frequency ablation. You name it. All chronic issues reemerging from injuries on the field.

I lost a brother last year to a boating accident. slip and fall at the marina. He was showing signs and typical symptoms of CTE at 40 years old. He was kinda starting to lose it a bit. The only ones who really knew was me and my brothers wife. Anyway, he was worse than I am. He had a few too many head Injuries playing football.

If I could meet my wife, and most other things stay the same, I would go back and choose baseball. I would also not let my brother play by whatever means necessary. I may well have thrown my arm out, but the head and neck stuff is really rough.

Wait, hold on a second...what are the conditions here?

- Do I go back to when I was 18 when I was 18 back in the 2000s? Or do I become an 18 year old today? Or do I go back in my current age/form back to the 2000s when I was 18?

- Do I get to keep everything I've learned so far or is my mind erased? To what degree do I get to correct mistakes? 'Cause by the time I was 18, I had already made a few mistakes

- Do I get to take anything or anyone with me on this magical journey? Because if it means abandoning my girlfriend, dog, etc. thanks but no thanks.

- Do I get to keep all of my degrees, certifications, etc.? Or do I have to get them all over again?

- How long do I get before I go? Do I get to say goodbye to people? Do I get to make a plan?

The answers to these questions make the choice pretty obvious for most anyone. Most of us aren't going to abandon our partners or pets unless you really don't like your partner or pet. If we're able to take a decent reference guide for the future Back to the Future style, of course that's worth way more than $30 million. Heck, I'd just play Powerball in a state that doesn't announce the winner and be pretty much set.

And yeah, if I could take my dog and my girlfriend back with me, with them both getting appropriately younger, alright, then that's something to consider.

But being immediately picked up out of my current life and dropped alone back to being 18? Yeah, that sound kind of miserable. Although I would be trying to look up Mr. Zuckerberg and get in on his bandwagon

quote:

Originally posted by lunchbox:
I would like to go back to 18. I made a wrong career choice 20 years ago and I've grown to regret it in the past few years. I always wanted to be a master wood worker and when I was younger I was very good at it. Now 20 years have past and I haven't touched a table saw once. Even if I started now there is 20 years worth of experience and wisdom I've missed out on. The more I live life the more I wished I would have chased after that dream. I've also grown to realize that money really isn't everything, 30 million would be nice but it would not satisfy me.

I would be completely happy to sell you all my woodworking machinery at 50 cents on the dollars it's all state of the art German and Italian machines. think of all the fun you will have in the next twenty years.

Please take me to the DeLorean.

If the DeLorean's broke, I'll take the cash. E-mail in profile for a shipping address.

Go back to 18 and make some better informed choices.

I would take the money. Use it to help some people who need it to cover the cost of medical treatments they have facing them. Hip and knee replacements, trust fund for my wife, just to make sure she is taken care of. If her genes come from her mother, she should live to be well over 90YO. I have a pretty small immediate family. Daughter and her husband + 2 sons. One brother who is very well off on his own.

Set up a scholarship fund for truly needy kids who have the intelligence and drive to learn. But not too much financial support. I learned while working 50-60 hour weeks and carrying 4 full time college courses, building a house on the weekends that hard work does not kill you.

A lesson that far too many younger folks today have to learn.

I cannot remember any major mistakes I made from age 18 on. I was in the army at age 17, in Germany at age 18. Would not exchange those life experiences. Not to mention bringing my wife back from Germany.

Tough question. If I went back knowing what I know today, I could done a couple things differently that would have left me a lot better off financially than $30M. Then again, life has been good and when I think about how I could have a lot more fun and a lot less stress if I knew at 18 what I know now, that might have changed where I am today. Love the wife and the kids, wouldn't want to risk losing that. I guess I'd take the cash. A chunk could do a lot of good at the local community foundation, a chunk could move the ranch further forward faster, a chunk could buy toys, and a chunk could help escape CA.

quote:

Originally posted by lunchbox:

There isn't a day that goes by where I don't think about what I could have done with my talents. I had pieces that I made when I was in high school in a museum in Portland. I just couldn't convince myself that I could make a living. The amount of time it takes to produce a truly good piece is staggering and if I made it and couldn't sell it I would miss my mortgage payment. In the end I pussed out and got a job that means nothing to me but a paycheck. Life's a bitch isn't it?

I hear you. I hear what you're saying. I don't have that kind of talent but it's a bitch to be plagued by those wouldas, shouldas, and couldas.

Straight cash homie. Life happens. Some mistakes turn out ok. The what if game is dangerous. You change that one thing you have no idea what happens after.

I've got my share of regrets and made mistakes but everything I've done and am has lead me to this point where I have two amazing kids that I love with all my being. If given the chance to change my past I wouldn't change a thing for fear of it changing that.

I'd take the money without hesitation but my choice would be the same if the offer was a dollar.

At this point I think I'd take the money. The one serious mistake I made - well, $30m would make it easy to go where she wouldn't be able to find me.