In the words of Jeffrey Archer, ‘Birth is life’s first lottery ticket.’

First and most significant, I’d say. But most people take this particular stroke of chance for granted. 

In fact, the more privilege someone is born into, the easier it might be to take it for granted. 

My family’s story brought this awareness into sharp focus for me. You might already know this, but I had the privilege of being born into two of India’s wealthiest industrialist families at the time. 

Sadly, however, I watched both family empires crumble growing up. Family feuds and irresponsible treatment of generational inheritances meant that our wealth, businesses, and glory all dwindled. 

Despite that unfortunate outcome, however, I still enjoy the privilege into which I was born. Our family name commands a degree of respect and recognition even today after the empire has fallen. 

But I’m not writing this today to shed light on my privilege. What I do want to shed light on is my awareness of this privilege. 

The truth is that I, like you, perhaps had a better starting point in life than my forefathers did. The generations that follow wealth-creators typically do – every generation born after a wealth-creator has the opportunity to start life a few steps ahead of their predecessors. 

In my 20 years of managing wealth and seeing it passed down, I’ve come to realize that passing down your wealth and legacy boils down to just that: Ensuring that the generation after you has a strong start. They are born with options and resources at their disposal. 

This inherent ‘luck’ that you are born with has been called the Ovarian Lottery or your Birth Lottery. 

How the Ovarian Lottery Impacts Generational Wealth and Legacy 

Building lasting wealth goes far beyond putting the right financial structures in place. 

Wealth or money is finite, and without the right systems to preserve and grow it, it will dissipate over time. 

But these ‘right systems’ are largely misunderstood. These right systems are not financial and legal systems, but one rather more important system. The most important wealth and legacy protection system is a family’s Value System. 

Whatever you create as a wealth-creator, or have the privilege of inheriting and growing, protect it with a strong value system. 

Mindfully pass down the virtues, lessons, and values that you imbibed along the way to your children and further down to their children. They are starting life a few steps ahead of you, remember, thanks to you. They now have a better chance of succeeding in life with the right values and the privileges they inherited. That gratitude is often not instilled by default. 

They need to learn how to earn, not just inherit. 

They need to learn how to preserve and grow, not just spend. 

They need to learn to appreciate the good fortune and privilege they were born with rather than feeling entitled to what they have. 

They need to learn how to carry that legacy forward to even greater heights. 

As you ponder upon this, look back and ask yourself: 

How lucky were you born? Did you win Life’s First Lottery? 

Warren Buffett says that he drew a winning ticket in the birth lottery because he was born an able-bodied white male in America in the 1930s. That lottery ticket mapped the trajectory of his life and success. 

Where does your journey begin? Has it all been up to your conscious choices, your smartness, and your skill, or did luck play a part in the trajectory your life has taken?