The fisherman and the banker

Last Sunday I returned from a week’s holiday in Mallorca. I totally empathise with those who still have not been able to board a plane as after such a long wait flying was liberating.

I could tell you how great a place Mallorca is or how losing 15°C in the space of 2 hours flying back and being welcomed by the refreshing rain on 4th July challenged my mental health, but instead I would like share this story about ‘Goal Spinning’ and running constantly which is what most of us do most of the time. I know I do. 

As always, time away from the laptop and daily activities makes you think.

So here’s a great story I read and loved. I hope you do to.

It goes something like this….

“The Fisherman and the Investment Banker”

A wealthy investment banker goes on vacation to a tropical fishing village.

As he walks along the docks one afternoon, he comes upon a small, run-down fishing boat with several large fish on its deck.

"How long did it take you to catch those fish?" he asks.

The fisherman looks up from his work and smiles at his new visitor.

"Only a little while."

The investment banker is caught off guard by this response.

He likes the fisherman and wants to help.

"Why don't you fish for longer so you can catch more fish?"

The fisherman shrugs and explains to his new friend that he has all he needs.

"Each day, I sleep late, fish a little, and spend time with my children and beautiful wife. In the evening, I go into town, drink wine, play the guitar, and sing and laugh with my friends."

The investment banker is puzzled.

He wants to help his new friend, who he thinks is clearly confused.

The investment banker had helped many businesses and got an MBA and other fancy credentials to his name.

So he lays out a plan for the fisherman...

"First, you spend more time fishing, so you can catch and sell more fish. You use the proceeds to buy a bigger boat, which allows you to catch and sell even more fish."

The fisherman listened intently, his face calm.

But the investment banker was just getting started...

"Then you buy a fleet of boats. You hire a team. Vertically integrate. As CEO of a large, growing enterprise, you could move to the big city. You would take your company public and make millions!"

The fisherman looked confused, but smiled.

"And then what?" he asked.

The investment banker was shocked.

"Well, then you could retire to a quiet town! You could sleep late, fish a little, and spend time with your children and beautiful wife. In the evening, you could go into town, drink wine, play the guitar, and sing and laugh with your friends."

Not realizing the irony, the investment banker stood silent, waiting for the fisherman to express excitement with the plan.

The fisherman smiled broadly, thanked his new friend for the advice, and wandered off slowly into the warm afternoon sun.

QUESTION…

How truly present are you in your daily actions and interactions with others?