I was talking with a client recently who is contemplating leaving their successful corporate career and transition into self-employment.
They feel that it is the right time in their life to pause, re-evaluate, and redefine happiness and how they personally measure success. They told me that they want more time to enjoy the simple things in life and have more quality time with their family. They told me they are planning to experience greater richness in life with less.
During our conversation, the following story about the Mexican Fisherman came to mind and I shared with the client:
A US businessman was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican fishing village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the boat were several large yellow-fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.
The Mexican replied, “Only a little while, senor.” The American asked why he didn’t stay out longer and catch more fish. The Mexican said that he had enough to supply his family’s immediate needs.
The American then asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”
The fisherman said, “I play with my children, take a siesta with my wife Maria, 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 smiled, “I have a Harvard MBA-that’s a degree in business studies – I 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. Then 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, of course, need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then Los Angeles and eventually New York City where you would run your expanding enterprise.”
The Mexican fisherman asked, “But, senor, how long would all this take?”
The American replied, “Fifteen to twenty years.”
“But what then, senor?”
The American laughed, “That’s the best part. When the time is right you sell your stock to the public and become very rich. You would make millions.”
“Millions, senor? But then what?”
“Then you would retire, move to a small coasting fishing village, where you could sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a siesta with your wife Maria, and stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with the amigos.”
With just the hint of a twinkle in his eye, the fisherman said, “Senor – are these business degrees hard to get?”
How do you define success in life?
Ralph Waldo Emerson defined success in a simple life well lived as:
SUCCESS
To laugh often and much
to win the respect of intelligent people
and affection of children; to earn the
appreciation of honest critics and
endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate beauty, to find the best
in others; to leave the world a bit
better, whether by a healthy child
a garden patch or redeemed
social condition; to know even
one life has breathed easier because
you have lived. This is to have
succeeded.
Why not take some time this week to consider how you personally define and measure success?
This week’s quotation:
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” Leonardo da Vinc.
To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk