Understanding Your Why
Learning from a fisherman
An American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village late one morning when a small boat docked. Inside the small boat was just one fisherman who had already caught several large fish. The American complimented the fisherman on the fish and asked how long it took to catch them.
The fisherman replied, “only a little while.”
The American then asked why didn’t he stay out longer and catch more fish?
The Mexican said he had caught plenty to provide for his family’s needs for quite a while and even to give some fish away to others in the village.
The American then asked, “but what do you do with the rest of your time?”
The Mexican fisherman said, “I sleep late, play with my children, take siestas with my wife, and stroll into the village where I sip wine, and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life.”
The American scoffed. “I am an experienced businessman and can help you,” he said. “You should spend more time fishing, and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat, you could have a fleet of fishing boats, open up your own cannery and control all of the distribution,” he said. “Of course, you would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to a bigger city to run the expanding enterprise.”
The Mexican fisherman asked, “But, how long will this all take?”
To which the American replied, “Oh, 15 to 20 years or so.”
But what then?” Asked the Mexican. The American 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?” asked the Mexican.
The American 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 siestas with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos.”
“I already do that,” said the Mexican fisherman.
This is the Story of the Mexican Fisherman. The inspiring story has been told for years.
There is so much one can take away from this story. What sticks out most to me is the fisherman’s unwavering commitment to his why.
Imagine how often the thoughts of doubt and opinions like the American businessman shared have crossed his mind?
Regardless what others think or if they don’t agree, it doesn’t matter to the fisherman. He understand his why. He knows why he does what he does.
How is this any different than where we’re at with our whys? Think about your why.
Why did I chose this career?
Why did I chose to work for this company?
Why did I start this business?
Why did my family move here?
Why did I buy this house?
Why did I make this investment?
When the doubt or opinions that you’re doing something wrong creep in, remember your why. Only you have to understand it. Nobody else has to.
There is a reason we do what we do and have chosen the things that we have. There was a why to all your passionate pursuits and major decisions in your life.
The fisherman feels like he’s the wealthiest man in the world.
Where are you at? Do you understand your why?
The Coffee Table ☕
One of the things that my daughter wanted to do for her birthday was to go watch the movie Unsung Hero. It tells the inspiring true story of the Smallbone family and what they overcame to produce the hit singers Rebecca St James (Smallbone) and For King & Country (Joel & Luke Smallbone). This was a fantastic movie and the reviews agree. IMBd 7.8 and Rotten Tomatoes 99% audience score.
Why nobody wants to sell their home in one chart. These are the mortgages rates among outstanding mortgages by state.
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