I shared this story last year and I believe it is a good idea to share it again as we start a new year. It is the story of the Mexican Fisherman. I hope you enjoy it. Here's to a great 2024!
This post is 696 words and a 4-minute read.
An American investment banker was taking a much-needed vacation in a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. The boat had several large, fresh fish in it.
The investment banker was impressed by the quality of the fish and asked the Mexican how long it took to catch them.
The Mexican replied, “Only a little while.”
The banker then asked why he didn’t stay out longer and catch more fish?
The Mexican fisherman replied he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs.
The American then asked: “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”
The Mexican fisherman replied,
“I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta 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, señor.”
The investment banker scoffed:
“I am an Ivy League MBA, and I could help you. You could spend more time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat, and with the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats until eventually, you would have a whole fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to the middleman, you could sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You could control the product, processing and distribution.”
Then he added: “Of course, you would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City where you would run your growing enterprise.”
The Mexican fisherman asked, “But señor, how long will this all take?”
To which the American replied: “15–20 years.”
“But what then?” asked the Mexican.
The American 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 could make millions.”
“Millions, señor? Then what?”
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 siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos.”
It's so easy to get caught in the daily, weekly, and monthly grind. We can get caught up in the stressors of daily life and we easily fall into a state of "It's fine." Where we just go with the default options presented by society:
School > college > job > house > marriage > promotion > kids > dogs > bigger house > business > so on.....
We do all these things and then wake up one day depressed about life.
Feeling empty and unfulfilled.
We wake up and we sound like Solomon:
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher.
“Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”
All this because we never asked one simple question:
WHAT DO I GET?
If you are in a relationship you gotta ask
WHAT DO WE GET?
It forces us to grapple with the costs of certain decisions we make. Not just surface costs or direct prices but the hidden fees that we have to pay but can't see immediately. It forces a deeper conversation within ourselves and with others. It forces you to take into account the totality of life.
Don't live life by default.
Just going with the flow of what we've been told by family, society, or school. That the way they tell you is the only way to live your life. EFF THAT!!
Take the time as we progress through the year to really think and ask
WHAT DO I GET?
It's the only way to live the fulfilling life you desire.
Doing this will create aspects of your life that make absolutely no sense to others and that is perfectly okay. They can join the hype later. But you have to start living TODAY!
Remember Generosity > greed
😤✌🏾
Recommended Reads
I typically recommend blogs but this Podcast was too good and too impactful to not share. If you wanna start 2024 right, answer the 7 questions posed. It does not matter if you are a Christian or not, the questions are necessary for everyone to ask.