What would you do if you came down with "Sudden Wealth Syndrome"? Here's what others did

What would you do if you suddenly became a multimillionaire? Sleep in every day? Golf? Say goodbye to the work life forever? Or would you go back to work?

The LA Times looked at a variety of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs who had become millionaires and found the surprising answer that many of them in fact did go back to work. Take the example of Mark Pincus who sold his company for $38 million in 1996. For a year he lived a life with almost no responsibilities but eventually tired of the lifestyle, saying:

"You think you're in heaven, but you're really in hell. ...after a while, you realize you're not engaged with the world. That's what is fun about life."

Another successful entrepreneur who encountered sudden wealth watched his suddenly rich friends become paralyzed how to spend their time. He noted that a number of them actually became terribly depressed. Even though he now had more money than he "ever dreamed of", he decided to rejoin the workforce.

No one expects sympathy for the suddenly rich, an observation they understand. Stephen Goldbart, co-director of the Money, Meaning & Choices Institute, describes the depression and confusion that many entrepreneurs face when after achieving financial success realize that financial success doesn't guarantee happiness.

"They ask, 'Now that I've made it and money is no longer a driver, what is the meaning and purpose of my life?' "

These stories will not surprise anyone in the field of happiness research. While understanding happiness (and even defining it) is complex and often subjective, one aspect of happiness is growth. And as pleasing as sitting on the beach every day might sound, it is also a good place to stagnate.

To be sure, there are many examples of people who used their new found wealth to leave the workforce and never return. One entrepreneur cited in the Times story had an "existential moment" while sitting in traffic one morning wondering why he was pushing himself so hard when he didn't have to. He left his job and now keeps busy by golfing, skiing and kite-surfing.

Source: Los Angeles Times