The Mexican Fisherman

Here's a nice little story that I've been thinking about lately.  First read it at a Jimmy John's a year or so ago.  (The Ann Arbor area is jumping with Jimmy John's.  Personally, it doesn't really make much sense.  The business is basically built on the idea that people at home are so lazy/pathetic that they will order a sandwich and expect it to be delivered to them.  Honestly, who can't make a sandwich?  But then again, it is freaky fast delivery.  I can't ride my bike down Packard without passing at least one.)

Then the topic came up this weekend as Katy and I thought about "the future".  And then at church today we read President Uchtdorf's talk, Of Regrets and Resolutions.  These things combined make we wonder what I want to do with the future, and specifically a career.  Do I want to be the casual ER doc who works a dozen shifts a month and plays in the mountains the rest of the time?  Or is being the congenital heart surgeon at a prestigious teaching hospital more appealing?  I wish I knew.

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 boast were several large yellowfin 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."

The American then asked why he didn't 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 Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine, and play guitar with my aimgos.  I have a full and busy life."

The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA 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 fisherman asked, "But, how long will all this take?"

To which the American replied,  "15-20 years."

"But what then?" Asked the fisherman.

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 - then what?"

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 evenigs where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."