Do you really know what you want in life? I believe being rich is one of the most popular goals. But is being rich really an end point? Or is it a means to an end? An anonymous Mexican parable enlightens us (version from “The 4 hour workweek”):
An American businessman took a vacation to a small coastal Mexican village on doctor’s orders. Unable to sleep after an urgent call from the office the first morning, he walked out to the pier to clear his head. A small boat with just one fisherman had docked, and inside the boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish.
“How long did it take you to catch them?” the American asked.
“Only a little while,” the Mexican replied in surprisingly good English.
“Why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more fish?” the American then asked.
“I have enough to support my family and give a few to friends,” the Mexican said as he unloaded them into a basket.
“But… what do you do with the rest of your time?”
The Mexican looked up and smiled. “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, and stroll into the village each evening, where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life, senor.”
The American laughed and stood tall. “Sir, I am a Harvard M.B.A. and could help you. You should spend more time fishing, and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. In no time, you could buy several boats with the increased haul. Eventually, you would have a fleet of fishing boats.”
He continued, “Instead of selling your catch to a middleman, you would 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 with proper management.”
The Mexican fisherman asked, “But, senor, how long will this all take?”
To which the American replied, “15-20 years. 25 tops.”
“But what then, senor?”
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 would make millions.”
“Millions, senor? Then what?”
“Then you would retire and 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…”
If one day you really earn your millions, what do you want to do? The answer would most probably be what you really want in your life.
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