The Lesson from the Mexican Fisherman

We spend so much of our lives chasing more: more money, more success, more recognition. Falling into the belief that when we finally “make it,” we’ll slow down and enjoy life. But what if the life you’re chasing is one you could live right now?

That truth came to life for me again recently when I revisited one of my favorite stories of the investment banker and Mexican fisherman.

An investment banker was standing at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The banker complimented the fisherman on the quality of his catch and asked how long it took to get them.

“Only a little while,” the fisherman replied.

The banker asked, “Why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more fish?”

“I have enough to support my family’s needs,” said the fisherman.

“But what do you do with the rest of your time?”

The fisherman smiled. “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siestas with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening to sip wine, and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life.”

The banker laughed. “I’m a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing. With the proceeds, you could buy a bigger boat. Then several boats. Eventually, you could own a fleet. You could control the product, processing, and distribution. You would need to move to Mexico City, then Los Angeles, and finally New York City to run your growing business.”

The fisherman asked, “How long would all this take?”

“Fifteen to twenty years,” said the banker. “But what then?” asked the fisherman.

The banker grinned. “That’s the best part. You’d make millions, retire, and move to a small coastal village. You could sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siestas with your wife, stroll to the village in the evening, sip wine, and play your guitar with your amigos.”

The fisherman smiled. He was already living that life.

The lesson of the story is to define what enough means for you, or the world will define it for you. If building a big business with scale is what you want, pursue it with passion. If being a fisherman is what you’re called to do, do it with passion.

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