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Life Lessons – The Parable of the Fisherman

Hi Folks Mark here!

The anecdote and parable I’m about to share is perhaps the most profound one I remember when I think about the freedom of earning a great living, or even getting wealthy online. I’ll let the parable explain itself. Basically, what are you trying to achieve.

I first came across it in Tim Ferris’s “Four Hour Workweek” which I think has some great ideas and is a must read for anyone wanting to break away from corporate life.

Here is the Parable:

An American businessman was visiting a small coastal Panamanian village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The American complimented the fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. The fisherman replied, “only a little while.”

The American then asked why he didn’t stay out longer and catch more fish. The fisherman 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 Fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take 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 scoffed, ” I am a Wall Street executive and I can help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat and a get a Web presence. A scalable go-forward plan would provide capital for several new 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 Panama City, then Los Angeles, and eventually New York City, where you would outsource tasks to third party clients to help run your expanding enterprise in a vertical market.” The Fisherman asked, “but senor, how long will this all take?”

The American replied, “15 to 20 years.”

“But what then, senor?”, said the Fisherman.

The American laughed and said, ” That’s the best part. When the time is right, you will announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich. You will make millions.”

“Millions, senor? Then what?” , replied the Fisherman.

And the American responded: Well, then you will retire, move to a small coastal fishing village where you can sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, and stroll to the village in the evenings where you will sip wine and play guitar with your amigos”.

How much is enough? That’s up to you. And knowing that is the most valuable thing in the world.

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