The Tale of the Fisherman
Greetings!
Hope you’ve all had a great weekend. Each week, I will highlight one central idea for you to think through on your own. The goal, as always, is to break down the complex and make it as digestible as possible.
This Week: The Tale of the Fisherman
I want you to Imagine a Harvard MBA—let’s call him Chad—who’s vacationing in a quaint coastal village in Mexico. He spots a fisherman returning from the sea with a modest catch and can’t resist approaching him. “Why don’t you fish more?” Chad asks, as if he’s cracked the code of life. The fisherman, with a contented smile, explains that he catches just enough for his family’s needs in a few hours each morning and spends the rest of his days relaxing, playing with his children, and heading to the local restaurant to laugh and sing with friends.
Chad, having just recently aced his MBA class, “How to Tell Others What’s Best for Them Even Though They Didn’t Ask,” suggests the fisherman should fish longer, sell more, and buy a bigger boat. With that wealth, he could expand his business, hire more fishermen, and eventually retire comfortably.
The fisherman listens thoughtfully, then asks, “And what would I do then?”
Chad, brimming with self-satisfaction, replies, “Whatever you want! You could spend every day fishing, relaxing, enjoying time with your kids, and heading down to the restaurant at night to laugh and sing with your friends!”
The fisherman smiles. We smile. It’s a satisfying story, and we’d like to believe that we, too, will one day attain the wisdom, tranquility, and fulfillment of the fisherman. After all, since we were old enough to absorb stories such as these, we have been collectively captivated by visions of an eventual and enduring peace of mind. We have been conditioned to believe that there is, in fact, a there and that one day, we will all find ourselves celebrating alongside one another on the beaches of Mexico after a life of confusion, toil, and endless pursuit. It will all magically make sense in the end, so long as we commit to putting our heads down, toiling day in and day out, and really, not asking too many questions along the way.
I believe in this “there” adamantly, but I also know how illusive it can feel for so many us, especially when we don’t think we will ever find ourselves as ultimately satisfied as the fisherman.
Action Item: Spend a few minutes this week trying to articulate your version of the Fisherman’s tale. How will you spend your perfect day in retirement? How much will it cost? This is an essential exercise, as you will never know if you have “enough” unless you are able to define exactly what enough looks like to you.
Have a great week, and will always try to get us all one step closer to where we need to be.
Tyler
