A Fisherman and a Banker

Here's a great story I liked, and should probably listen to. What did Richard Back write? "We teach best what we most need to learn."

The investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The banker 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 banker then asked, "Why didn't you stay out longer and catch more fish?"

The fisherman said, "With this I have more than enough to support my family's needs."

The banker 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 naps with my wife, Mary, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my buddies, I have a full and busy life."

The banker 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 Los Angeles or New York where you will run your ever-expanding enterprise."

The fisherman asked, "But, how long will this all take?"

To which the banker replied, "15 to 20 years."

"But what then?" asked the fisherman.

The banker 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 banker 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 naps with your wife, Mary, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your buddies."

So many of us live in that "someday when I'm secure" mentality where we wait, and wait - and wait some more for the time to be right to do what we love to do. Why is that?

How horrible would be be to actually be happy now? But I know, Oh the courage that takes. Think about it. Is waiting worth it?