If I Could Afford Anything

October 9, 2026

How wishes become actions

I asked myself a question: how would my life change if I could buy anything I wanted? At first, it seemed like a fantasy about money. But the longer I thought about it, the more specific my wishes became. Some require greater resources. Many can be started right now.

Money gives us freedom to choose. With choice come responsibility and consequences. For me, it matters to stay grounded: to understand what I need, which commitments I am willing to make, and why. I would want new opportunities to expand my life, with my values guiding how I use them.

My first thought was my family. I would want to give my children more opportunities to learn: the right school, a good mentor, and a chance to explore their interests. I would want Marina to choose things that feel good to wear and bring her pleasure. And I would want us to have more relaxed time together.

Then I thought about travel. I would like to see Monaco, try an unusual restaurant, and drive a Ferrari. I am not sure I would want to own a car like that. But having the experience and discovering how it feels? Yes. I would also like to stay in a village in Slovenia or Switzerland, get to know local people, help on a farm, and take a cycling trip.

I love processes and systems. Visiting a Tesla factory would interest me as much as visiting a museum. I would like to see how SpaceX, a port, an airport, and a power grid operate. I would especially enjoy spending time alongside someone responsible for a system, observing their decisions, questions, and responses when things go wrong.

I would be interested in meeting Warren Buffett, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Martha Stewart. I would like to see how they work and what an ordinary day looks like. How much of their public image appears in everyday life? What habits support their mastery?

I would continue investing because I enjoy understanding businesses and how capital is allocated. I would also want to support people who struggle to put values I share into practice. Perhaps, eventually, that would become a charitable organization. To begin, I would want to understand whom I can help and what useful help I can offer.

What I Can Start Now

Quieter wishes emerged in this list, too. Spend a few days with each daughter individually. Make something with my hands alongside a craftsperson. Record our family history. Live at a different pace. Learn from someone whose judgment I respect. Sometimes, simply enjoy an experience without requiring it to be useful.

Even the conversation about a cap became part of the same question. I want to find something that suits me and stop searching. My Hoka shoes feel good to walk in. If a cap fits comfortably and I like it, the ongoing search can end. One or two are enough. A good purchase frees my attention for the rest of life.

Then comes the question: what is stopping me from starting now? Some wishes have real limitations. A personal meeting with Buffett may be out of reach. But I can explore his thinking through letters, interviews, and books about him. That is a different experience, and it has value, too. I can write down what I learn and try applying one idea.

The same applies to manufacturing. If a particular factory is closed to visitors, I can study its process through available materials, visit another facility that offers an official tour, or speak with a specialist. The desire to understand the system remains. The way I approach it changes. I do not need to pretend that a small step fully replaces a bigger dream. A short bike ride is not a cycling journey through Europe. But it lets me begin, test my interest, and understand what I want next. Some experiences I will want to repeat. After others, I may comfortably say: I tried it, and that was enough.

The tables below list what I want to try. A checkmark means an experience has taken place, even partially or in an accessible form. Beside it, I will record the date and what I noticed. Trying to arrange access is not yet a visit; I can record it as a step in progress.

I will choose one row, decide on a manageable first step, and make time for it. After the experience, I will return to the table. If something emerges that I want to share, it may become another essay. But every experience is allowed to remain simply part of my life. Imagining that I could afford anything helped me see what I wanted. Now I want to make room for some of those wishes in the life I have today.

Family and Everyday Life

A checkmark means I have tried the experience. Use the last column for the date, observations, and a possible future essay. ✓ What I Want to Try First Step or Accessible Option Date and Observations ☐ Children’s education With each child, choose one learning need and a trial lesson, course, or mentor; consider private school separately. Date __________ What help is actually needed

☐ Things for Marina Invite her to choose something herself and agree on a comfortable budget; leave the choice to her. Date __________ What brings a loved one joy

☐ Time with Marina Agree on a walk or an evening together without household tasks. Date __________ Time together

☐ Time with each daughter Arrange a separate walk or trip with each daughter around her interests. Date __________ Getting to know each other

☐ A cap that fits Try the ordered S/M cap; check comfort and the back. If it works, stop searching. Date __________ When I can stop searching

☐ Comfortable shoes Keep walking in my Hoka shoes and notice how they feel on longer walks. Date __________ A thing in everyday use

☐ Clothes that fit Choose one garment and try having a tailor adjust it. Date __________ Fit and price

☐ Family history Record one story about Odessa, my parents, or immigration; add a photograph. Date __________ What I want to preserve

☐ Simple enjoyment Make time for tea, reading, or a walk without expecting a result. Date __________ Enjoyment without justification

Travel and New Experiences

A checkmark means I have tried the experience. Use the last column for the date, observations, and a possible future essay. ✓ What I Want to Try First Step or Accessible Option Date and Observations ☐ Living at a different pace Start with a relaxed day or weekend in one place without a packed itinerary. Date __________ How time feels

☐ Monaco and luxury Write down what I want to see; explore the place and make a feasible travel plan. Date __________ What attracts me to luxury

☐ A village in Slovenia or Switzerland Choose one village to learn about; start with a short rural stay closer to home. Date __________ How I feel in a quiet place

☐ Working on a farm Find an agreed way to participate; clarify the tasks and try a few hours. Date __________ Taking part in someone’s work

☐ A cycling trip Start with a manageable half-day route; afterward, decide whether I want a longer tour. Date __________ What movement gives me

☐ A Ferrari or another interesting car Explore driving experiences, conditions, and costs; choose one within my budget. Date __________ Experiencing versus owning

☐ An unusual restaurant Choose a restaurant and budget; go and assess my own experience. Date __________ Did it meet my expectations

☐ Museums and art Choose an exhibition and visit without rushing, lingering over what interests me. Date __________ What held my attention

☐ Making something by hand Choose a workshop in woodworking, bookbinding, or restoration; take a class. Date __________ What materials teach me

Manufacturing and Systems at Work

A checkmark means I have tried the experience. Use the last column for the date, observations, and a possible future essay. ✓ What I Want to Try First Step or Accessible Option Date and Observations ☐ Tesla manufacturing Check official visitor access. If unavailable, study the process and visit an accessible automotive factory. Date __________ How an idea becomes a thing

☐ SpaceX Check permitted ways to learn about it; start with a documented account of manufacturing and launch. Date __________ Working with uncertainty

☐ A port Find an official tour or speak with a specialist; trace the journey of one shipment. Date __________ Coordinating many participants

☐ Airport air traffic control Check official access; if unavailable, start with a controller’s interview and a case study. Date __________ Decisions under pressure

☐ A railway sorting yard Find an authorized tour or a specialist’s explanation; study how one train is assembled. Date __________ Organizing movement

☐ Power grid operations Explore official resources and public events from an operator; study one disruption. Date __________ A system we rarely notice

☐ A logistics center Check for an official tour; trace an order from receipt to dispatch. Date __________ What makes convenience possible

☐ A shipyard or aircraft factory Find a facility with visitor tours; study one assembly stage and its quality checks. Date __________ Coordinating a large project

☐ Behind the scenes at a large hotel Find an open professional event or arrange a conversation with a manager. Date __________ Creating a calm guest experience

People Learning and Contribution

A checkmark means I have tried the experience. Use the last column for the date, observations, and a possible future essay. ✓ What I Want to Try First Step or Accessible Option Date and Observations ☐ Warren Buffett Read a shareholder letter, watch an interview, and record one idea I can apply. Date __________ How I make decisions

☐ Roger Federer Watch a long interview about preparation and work; choose a question to explore further. Date __________ Mastery and composure

☐ Novak Djokovic Study an account of preparation and recovery; note what is useful and what does not suit me. Date __________ Discipline in practice

☐ Martha Stewart Watch an in-depth account of her work; trace how she organizes one process. Date __________ Standards in everyday work

☐ Shadowing a working day Find an accessible professional and agree on a short observation that does not disrupt their work. Date __________ Public image and everyday life

☐ Learning from a mentor Choose rowing, writing, history, or a craft, and try a session with a mentor. Date __________ How I learn

☐ Investing Make time to study one business or capital allocation principle without needing to buy anything. Date __________ What interests me in business

☐ Helping and a future charity Choose a value and a specific need; explore an existing organization and try a manageable contribution. Date __________ What help actually works

☐ Time to reflect and write After an experience, set aside half an hour for notes; decide whether it merits an essay. Date __________ What the experience changed in me