Getting caught up in the pursuit to create the life you want is easy. The hard part is knowing if the pursuit is the right one. In moments like this, it is important to ask:
Why are you striving for this goal in the first place?
To help answer this question, I’ve used the below story many times. This story has been with me for over a decade. I first used it during a high school speech class to make the point of the importance of slowing down to focus on what matters in life.
Despite knowing this story for so long, I still need to return to it to remind myself to slow down and make sure I am building the life I want.
Fun Fact: This story was originally called, “Anecdote concerning the Lowering of Productivity” and was written by German author, Heinrich Boll.
The Mexican Fisherman Parable
An American investment banker was 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 tunas. The American complimented the Mexican Fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.
The Mexican replied, “only a little while.” The American then asked why didn’t he stay out longer and catch more fish? The Mexican said 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 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 friends. I have a full and busy life.”
The American scoffed, “I’m a businessman 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, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. 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 LA and eventually New York City, where you will run your expanding enterprise.”
The Mexican fisherman smiled and asked, “But, how long will this all take?”
To which the American replied, “15 – 20 years.”
“But what then?” Asked the Mexican nodding his head, as he was getting out of his boat.
The American laughed and said, “That’s the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company’s stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions!”
“Millions – then what?” asked the Fisherman as he was tying up his boat.
The American said, “Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siestas with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your friends.”
The fisherman nodded and thanked the American for his insight. Then he smiled and whistled a tune as he walked back to his house to see his wife and play with his kids.
Insights from the parable
The parable is heavy-handed, but it illustrates a few key points
1. What do you want from life and how can you build it today?
The fisherman is living his ideal lifestyle. He already built it for himself. He could do what the American recommended, but the Fisherman probably already thought of that himself. However, he never did it because it would take away time from what he would be building towards anyways.
It can be easy to get swept away with wanting more, but it is important to take time and reflect on what is important to you. Then you can try to implement it in your life more.
Maybe it means making more time for the kids, more time for exercise, or even taking a little break. It doesn’t have to be a complete 180 turn, but small changes can be made to make the day to day more like the future you are building towards.
2. Learn to relax every day
It is important to build in time every day to relax, spending time doing things that rejuvenate you, such as spending time with the kids, taking a siesta, or going out with friends.
Only pursuing goals isn’t balanced and studies show overworking can lead to burn-out, fatigue, erosion of relationships, and even health complications.
3. There is nothing wrong with ambition
There is nothing wrong with the American’s thoughts either. Realistically, that is what he wants to do. He wants to build a company for the IPO stage. He is just projecting that onto the Fisherman.
If the American was given a boat, he would not be happy living the Fisherman’s lifestyle because they are two different people. The American would enjoy the company building and then would relax, where the Fisherman already has all that he wants.
It is a question of asking ourselves what you want and being true to yourself.
Main Take-Aways:
- It is important to take time and ask why we are building this better life for ourselves. It is fine to keep working on the goals and make life better. However, we also need to realize how we can build in what we are working towards every day as well.
- Relax and rejuvenate a little every day. Take some of the pressure off and don’t be so serious all the time.
- Be ambitious and work towards your goals. Be you. Just make sure to make the road there enjoyable. Life is a marathon, not a 100-meter sprint.
Action Item
How are you like the Fisherman? How are you like the American? What can you do to implement some of the lessons from this story into your next week?
