Wealthy first, realize your dreams afterwards ?
Inspired by my coach, I have started to reflect upon what success means to me. And as I was thinking I came across a story which had such an impact on me that I would like to share it with you (I will also share the full results of my thoughts about success with you in a few days – stay tuned !). So here is the story:
The Wise Fisherman
There once was a successful business man who travelled to Europe on holiday and decided to spend a few days in a small coastal village in Italy. As he was standing on the pier looking over the ocean one early morning, a tiny boat with just one fisherman pulled alongside. Inside the boat were some large and very healthy-looking tuna fish. The businessman complimented the fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked him how long it had taken him to catch them.
The fisherman replied: Not long, I have been out only for few hours. The businessman replied, “You are obviously a good fisherman, why don’t you stay out longer and catch some more ?” The fisherman laughed. “Why would I want to do that Mister ? I make enough money to support me and my family. I don’t need to catch more fish.”
The businessman then asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?” The fisherman said, “I am completely free to do whatever I want. I play with my children, take a nap with my wife, stroll into the village every evening where I sip wine and play cards with my friends.
The businessman scoffed. “Ah, you may think so now…” He took out his business card. “ I am a Harvard graduate in business management and I can help you. The way I see it – you should spend more time fishing each day, and with the proceeds of what you catch you can buy a bigger boat. After some time you could sell the bigger boat and buy several boats, and eventually you would have your own fleet. We’d need to hire more fishermen, of course, but don’t worry. I know just the person to help us recruit them.” By now, the businessman had produced a pad and pen, and was busily drawing flow charts and diagrams. “In a few years,” he continued, “instead of selling your catch to a middleman, you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. That way, you would control the product, the processing and the distribution. Of course, you would need to leave this village and move to a bigger city, the bigger the better. We’d need to increase your profile in the market, you understand. You would control your successful and expanding business.”
The businessman stopped, somewhat out of breath, and waited for the fisherman’s grateful acceptance of his advice. The Italian fisherman pondered. “But Mister, how long will this all take ?” The businessman, now working on his calculator and scribbling on his pad, replied, “Oh, I should say somewhere in the region of 15 to 20 years.”
“But what then Mister ?” The businessman laughed and said, “That’s the really clever part. When the time is right – and I should be happy to advise you – you could float the company on the stock market, sell your stock to the public and become very rich. You would make millions.”
“Millions Mister ?” asked the fisherman, rubbing this chin. “And after that, what then ?” The businessman said, “Well, eventually you would be able to retire a wealthy man, and choose exactly the life you wanted for you and your family. For example, you might move to a small coastal fishing village. You would be completely free to do what you want. You could play with your children, take a nap with your wife and stroll into the village each evening, where you could sip wine and play cards with your friends. You could have a full and rewarding life.
The fisherman thought for a moment and then said, “Thank you for the advice, Mister, but if you don’t mind I think I’ll save myself the 15 years, and stay right where I am !”
The story has impacted me so much for two reasons. First, because so many of my clients state that they need to become financially independent or rich first, before they can start to live their dream. Is that really so ? Which more direct way could you take and what exactly is holding you back ?
The second reason is more personal. I identify with both the fisherman and the businessman and seeing them so plainly next to each other has brought to my consciousness that it is I, who must actively CHOOSE my path and that the only way I can be successful is by following my own standards and dreams – by being ME.
Both paths are possible for each of us, both might be fun, both constitute success in their own way – it all depends which success criteria you apply to evaluate your results. Do you know what you really want ? Do you know what fulfilling success is for you ? Are you going the straightest way to get there ? Are you applying your very own criteria for success or are you following the demands that society, your culture, your boss, your neighbours or anyone else has defined for your success ? Really, be honest with yourself. And then question them ! Whose opinion about yourself does matter most ? And why ? Become aware and then choose YOUR path.
Entries RSS