Perceptions of Success

A cruise ship docked in a tiny Mexican village. While at port, an American tourist complimented a Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them.

"Not very long," answered the Mexican. "But then, why didn't you stay out longer and catch more?" asked the American.

The Mexican explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his needs and those of his family.

The American asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

"I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my wife. In the evenings, I go into the village to see my friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs … I have a full life."

The American interrupted, "I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat. With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this little village and move to Mexico City, Los Angeles, or even New York City! From there you can direct your huge enterprise."

"How long would that take?" asked the Mexican. "Twenty, perhaps 25 years," replied the American."And after that?" "Afterwards? That's when it gets really interesting," answered the American, laughing. "When your business gets really big, you can start selling stocks and make millions!"

"Millions? Really? And after that?"

"After that you'll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta, and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends."

One could infer several things from this story. Some might see it as a justification to just accept one's life as is because wealth, success, and achievement don't really create happiness. However, some may see it differently that seeking wealth or success just for the purpose of wealth or success is fruitless, because the achievement will not contribute to your happiness. Before setting out to achieve a goal, make sure that the goal is one that will truly add to your happiness. As for the fisherman in the story, he already had the happiness he desired, and, therefore, spending more time in that place was the best use of his time.

So, have you asked yourself the simple question:

Is the goal you set, the one that truly bring you happiness you desired?

(Some of these contents are extracted from article written by Andy Fuehl posted in Nightingle Newsletter)