Some of you have probably heard this story before. It contains a lesson well worth considering.
An investment banker stood at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The banker complimented the fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.
The fisherman replied, “Only a little while.”
The banker then asked why didn’t he stay out longer and catch more fish?
The fisherman said he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs.
The banker then asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”
The fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siestas with my wife, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine, and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life.”
The investor scoffed, “I am an Ivy League MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat, you could buy several boats, and eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats.
“The investor continued, “And instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would then sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing, and distribution! You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then Los Angeles and eventually New York City, where you will run your expanding enterprise.”
The fisherman asked, “But how long will this all take?”
To which the banker replied, “Perhaps 15 to 20 years.”
“But what then?” asked the fisherman.
The banker laughed and said, “That’s the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich. You would make millions!”
“Millions. Okay, then what?” wondered the fisherman.
To which the investment banker replied, “Then you would retire. You could move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siestas with your wife, and stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos.”
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I’ve heard it before. It’s pretty cool and makes sense as long as the poor fisherman doesn’t get really sick and needs an expensive operation.
Gordie Rogers´s last blog ..Lifestyle Design – Three Ways To Know You’re Ready!
Hi Gordie, you are correct. But he is more likely to get sick in the rat race is he not? Thanks for your comment.
That’s a good point!
Gordie´s last blog ..Why Deadlines Are For Deadbeats.
Hi Stephen,
I remember the first time I read this, and it really put things in perspective. I love the story! It helps to remind me that I should focus on doing what I really “want” to do…now. Besides, the future is no guarantee anyway…
So good to read this again, thanks!
Lance´s last blog ..Frank and Me: A Legacy of Mentoring (Giveaway Post)
Hi Lance, thanks for stopping in. I’m glad you enjoyed the reminder
Ha! I know this story and it inspires me every time I read it again. This is in my perspective, the result of a world in which people need too much security and waaay too much validation. They end up taking the long road to doing what they really enjoy. I understand this is what keeps the economy going and I appreciate it, but I think we’re taking it too far.
Eduard
Ideas With A Kick´s last blog ..How to avoid the holiday madness and enjoy yourself
Hi Eduard. Exactly! We are taking it too far. There is a happy medium in here somewhere. Thanks for your comment.
I’ve actually never read this before and I LOVE it! It’s so, so true. People spend their whole lives trying to make lots of money so they can have the freedom to do what they love to do. Sadly, by the time some people get to the end, they only have money and no friends or family to enjoy it with. This is such a great message and I’m glad you shared it here!
Positively Present´s last blog ..when you want to cry, laugh instead
Dani, I’m glad I gave you the opportunity to read it then
I think you will like the video in Diggy’s comment too.
Is this not a true description of the ‘rat race trap’.
Also, the extra boats, processing plants and canneries increase carbon emissions. When the ’sea change’ is attempted the small coastal fishing village is submerged in rising sea levels due to global warming. Carbon deposits on the fishery have poisoned the feeding grounds and the fishery has been fished out leaving nothing to catch.
Hi Sparrow, yes it is an excellent description of the rat race trap. Thank you for your thoughts!
Hey Stephen!
I think I’ve heard this before, but I loved reading it again. It is so so so true. I think most of us can have what we want right now (except for massive luxuries maybe).
We are all conditioned to think that we need milions in the bank to be able to be happy, and we slave away for decades while at the end if and when we have that money, we realize what we really wanted was to spend the time having fun and being happy.
There is that youtube video by southpark directors, I have it on my blogs about page. Check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERbvKrH-GC4&feature=player_embedded
Really cool!
Keep well Sir!
Diggy – upgradereality.com´s last blog ..What Are You Scared Of?
OMG Diggy, that video was fantastic! I freaking loved it. Thank you!
Thanks Stephen and Diggy. I felt the same thing when i was 2 yrs before.
Thanks for the comment Lakshmipathy and I’m glad you liked it.
Wow. I love this story Stephen. Never really heard of it, but seriously, thanks for sharing. I think the lesson here is, happiness is really that simple if we could only want less in life and not chased after material goods that only feed our ego.
Karlil´s last blog ..Perfecting Your Smile
Hi Nik, I think the lesson is that yes we do often chase something and once we get it we realize it isn’t what we wanted. I think many entrepreneurs get caught up in the business aspects of their work and lose sight of what they wanted in the first place. We have to ask ourselves if it is really worth the hassle.
This was one of the stories that helped me leave a Fortune 200 company to venture off on my own. Thanks for the post, loved to read the story again!!!
Bradley
Bradley Gauthier´s last blog ..71 Technologies & Resources to Help Simplify An Entrepreneur’s Life
Hi Bradley, you are certainly welcome. I’m glad you enjoyed it
HI Stephen,
I loved this story. I never heard it before…
Its so good that what we actually really want is always right there..we just fail to see it. We end up running behind the superficial things…and then after all those years spent running behind superficiality realize we actually always had what we wanted and needed….
Oh this story really puts things and priorities in perspective doesnt it…
Thank you for sharing it
Zeenat{Positive Provocations}´s last blog ..The Decision To Be You
Zeenat, you captured the message so perfectly in your comment. Thanks for sharing it with us.
I LOVE this story!!
It shows directly what’s the purpose of 4HWW and all the other lifestyle design geeks out there. The old fashioned way of working ’till you retire is OUT!
Tell this story everyone you know!
Thank you!!
Michael Michalowski´s last blog ..Authenticity, Truth And Honesty
Hi Michael, thanks for that enthusiastic comment!
Hi Stephen, funny, I was trying to dig this up just the other day… I haven’t heard it for a while. Thanks for posting it, it’s a great story… makes you STOP and think about what you REALLY value. Making time for what we value is probably the greatest gift we can give ourselves (and our loved ones).
Cheers,
Miche
Miche – Serenity Hacker´s last blog ..Regaining Inner Peace When You’re Busy: Walking Gratitude Meditation
Hi Miche, I really like this story. You should check out Jonathan’s link to the video below. Thanks for commenting.
No wonder people in the tropics live a more relaxed life! They already have what most of us want but don’t know yet….
Never read this story before but I’m glad I did, because it reminded me of what life used to be before the ratrace!
Thanks for posting!
Hello Debbie. They obviously do live a more relaxed life. It is very interesting how different cultures value and define success so differently.
Wow Stephen I loved it, so simple and so profound. Thank you so much for sharing!
Lana-DreamFollowers Blog´s last blog ..Life Purpose: Do you avoid challenges?
Hi Lana, yes it is very simple, but it tells a very powerful story. Thanks for commenting!
Hi Stephen, even though I have heard this story before, it still serves as a good reminder to help us keep our perspective on straight. If you want to see the video version of this, it’s called “The Good Life Parable” I posted it here: http://tinyurl.com/d3abrh
Jonathan – Advanced Life Skills´s last blog ..Why Negative Life Lessons Are So Valuable
Hi Jonathan, thanks for the link. I forgot all about that video you posted. I’ve run across the story multiple times since, but I think that your blog is the first place I heard it.
Oh yes!! I love this story. I remember it from Jonathan’s site. This story makes total sense to me. It was something the Europeans could never understand about the Native people when they arrived in this country (USA), something they still don’t understand as a collective about the remaining indigenous people’s of the world.
We often think we always have to be striving to be happy. Most of us have forgotten the REALITY of just being. It is a concept that we all often talk about in new-age and self-improv. circles but how many have really LIVED “just being”?
You also have a rewarding weekend, Stephen!!!
Hugs,
Robin
Robin Easton´s last blog ..Become the Journey
HA! Awesome and inspiring story indeed.
People are so much constrained in what they can accomplish that they ignore what they can enjoy right now. Culture has molded our thinking in a way that we now believe we can only enjoy life with joy and happiness after respectable accomplishments and hard-work.
Unfortunately, the real life experience is supposed to be within the process of doing whatever it is you want to achieve, not after you’ve achieved them.
Life isn’t a to do list, it’s an opportunity to experience deeply profound and meaningful emotions. And I think that story says that pretty well.
Thanks for this.
Steven´s last blog ..7 Misconceptions of Life
Thanks for the reminder, I knew the story but it’s always nice to be reminded. It’s the perfect metaphor for the “empty search” that many of us are pursuing these days, chasing ghosts: money, status, power.
The fisherman knows
Dragos Roua´s last blog ..How To Be Ridiculous
Loved this story Stephen, it’s great to read it again and be reminded that we all have our own ways of doing things and looking at the world.
Steven Aitchison´s last blog ..Ask The Coach 13 – Stop Being Manipulated
I’ve heard this one before but I still love reading it every time. It a good reminder that we need to understand what our goals are before we start going all out on something.
Steve @ MyWifeQuitHerJob´s last blog ..Is Your Business Just A Hobby In The Eyes Of The IRS?
I love this story! I have shared it on my site some time ago. I first heard it from a monk. He shared that the message was to be contented with what we already have.
My thoughts are that it is okay to have desires to expand our businesses, provided they are really what we want and that we do not lose sight of what is really important to us.
Evelyn Lim´s last blog ..Christmas Greetings From Singapore Botanic Gardens
Wow, I’ve never heard this, but it’s pretty inspiring. We always need to keep perspective, to keep from avoiding life today in order to achieve goals which don’t matter anyways.
Thanks for sharing this! I love it!
Ibrahim | TwentiesLife.com´s last blog ..5 Ways To Be A Hero
I’ve never heard this before but it’s SO TRUE!! Brilliant, I love it. Thank you so much for sharing.