Let us say there are 3 persons – and we really do not need their names. For want of a better number let us assume that all 3 of them are destined to earn about Rs. 6 crores over the working life times.

One guy is a film producer and makes a film when he is 29 years of age and he earns Rs. 6 crores.

One guy is in service and earns a salary which over the period of his lifetime totals up to Rs. 6 crores.

The third is a businessman who fails in many businesses, then at the age of 60 earns Rs. 6 crores from his business. Till then he has been living of his wife’s earnings, siblings, parents, and even his children’s earnings.

Who do you think would have lived a typical ‘proper’ life?

Well it depends on many factors including ego management and financial skills. I can assure you that as a businessman if you do not have your feet on the ground, and the head still you can be ripped off. Imagine a young film star or a cricketer. These guys start at a young age and either make it or do not make it. Thanks to IPL even mediocre cricketers are making massive amounts of money. Imagine an Ajit Agarkar or a Dinesh Karthik making more money in their life times than say a Sunil Gavaskar or a Kapil Dev.

It is not easy to get a lumpsum at the age of 28 and ASSUME that you will receive NOTHING for the next 32 years of your life. In fact that is the problem that winners of lottery tickets suffer from.

Also if you do not have any money for the 30 years of your working life, the world starts treating you badly. Your own parents, siblings, friends, …all of them starting treating you badly. You receive suggestions of what to do with your life. I know one person in the film industry who was asked to take up a clerical job…I am sure all of us know creative people being asked to do ‘at least a menial job’.

The lack of cash flows can hurt real bad….and if you are a middle class person you have neither the skill of managing a big cash inflow or a drought. If you are a person from a rich family and do not have to worry about your next meal….only then can you hang around.

Look at Abhishek Bachhan or a Tushar Kapoor – by Indian standards they are super duper rich, but look at their cash flows. Just not enough to justify hanging around. How do they hang around with those high lifestyle expenses? The cashflows around them helps.

For Abhishek there is dad’s cash flow and wife’s too. For Tushar it is Dad’s cash flow and sister’s cash flow too….

So if you are planning to be on your own – LEARN CASH MANAGEMENT skills, being skeptical about success, and continuously asking yourself ‘will the good times continue?’. Apparently it is not continuing for the God of Good times…..or was it the King?