I love parables! I can’t resist good stories
with a thought provoking take home message, especially one that resonates with
me. The Mexican Fisherman and the Businessman is one of these such stories.
I first heard this story during
graduate school but have come upon it a number of times since, most recently this
morning when reviewing questions for an upcoming book club I participate in. I’m
always struck by the impact it has on me. Even though I know the ending, I am nevertheless amazed at
the perspective this story helps me gain.
Mexican
Fisherman Meets Harvard MBA
A vacationing American businessman standing on the pier of a
quaint coastal fishing village in southern Mexico watched as a small boat with
just one young Mexican fisherman pulled into the dock. Inside the small boat
were several large yellowfin tuna. Enjoying the warmth of the early afternoon
sun, the American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish.
"How
long did it take you to catch them?" the American casually asked.
"Oh,
a few hours," the Mexican fisherman replied.
"Why
don't you stay out longer and catch more fish?" the American businessman
then asked.
The
Mexican warmly replied, "With this I have more than enough to meet my
family's needs."
The
businessman then became serious, "But what do you do with the rest of your
time?"
Responding
with a smile, the Mexican fisherman answered, "I sleep late, play with my
children, watch ball games, and take siesta with my wife. Sometimes in the
evenings I take a stroll into the village to see my friends, play the guitar,
sing a few songs..."
The
American businessman impatiently interrupted, "Look, I have an MBA from
Harvard, and I can help you to be more profitable. You can start by fishing
several hours longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch.
With the extra money, you can buy a bigger boat. With the additional income
that larger boat will bring, before long you can buy a second boat, then a
third one, and so on, until you have an entire fleet of fishing boats."
Proud
of his own sharp thinking, he excitedly elaborated a grand scheme which could
bring even bigger profits, "Then, instead of selling your catch to a
middleman you'll be able to sell your fish directly to the processor, or even
open your own cannery. Eventually, you could control the product, processing
and distribution. You could leave this tiny coastal village and move to Mexico
City, or possibly even Los Angeles or New York City, where you could even further
expand your enterprise."
Having
never thought of such things, the Mexican fisherman asked, "But how long
will all this take?"
After
a rapid mental calculation, the Harvard MBA pronounced, "Probably about
15-20 years, maybe less if you work really hard."
"And
then what, señor?" asked the fisherman.
"Why,
that's the best part!" answered the businessman with a laugh. "When
the time is right, you would sell your company stock to the public and become
very rich. You would make millions."
"Millions?
Really? What would I do with it all?" asked the young fisherman in
disbelief.
The
businessman boasted,"Then you could happily retire with all the money
you've made. You could move to a quaint coastal fishing village where you could
sleep late, play with your grandchildren, watch ball games, and take siesta
with your wife. You could stroll to the village in the evenings where you could
play the guitar and sing with your friends all you want."
The moral of the story is: Know what really matters in life, and
you may find that it is already much closer than you think.
Such an
interesting perspective, it really makes me think of the things I place my
importance in; what I value, and what I'm working towards. We all think of our tomorrows or the things we want to fill
our days with in retirement, but is it really necessary to wait until then?
It’s so easy to get stuck in the grime of day in and day out, working to pay the
bills, moving to the next task, beginning a new activity, attending the next meeting all without thinking if
these things matter to us. Without realizing if we are working in line with our values, beliefs, and dreams. We don’t have to wait until our tomorrows to live
out these dreams; we instead need to find a way to make them a priority today. We need to find a way to make them attainable, It
may take thinking through some difficult decisions and making life changes but change is always possible, just not always easy. We can become held up in our minds, convince ourselves what is and is not possible for whatever reason. Wouldn't it be nice if as adults we had the belief in ourselves and conviction in what we are capable of as we had as children.
“Although no one can go back
and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new
ending.”
“If you really want to do
something, you will be able to find a way, if you don’t you’ll find an excuse”
“ All remember that the future comes one day
at a time”
Are you living out the life you want? Are
you at least working to line up your dreams? If the answer is no, what are you willing to
change? Don’t waste time wishing your dreams would fall on your lap; we each have to make them
happen. "It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped."
Until Next Time ~ Be Well
Blockbuster opened it’s first store in Dallas 1985 growing into a
recognizable brand throughout the 90’s and early 2000’s. With the help of catchy marketing and the unmistakeable blue and yellow video sign, Blockbuster saw its
peak in 2004 with 9000 stores and 60,000 employees (me being one of them during
college). Like so many others, my Blockbuster nights began in the 90’s. My
family often spent a Friday or Saturday 
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