The Story Continues: the Mexican Fisherman and the Investment Banker
For those of us who are caught up in our daily rat race, this parable causes us to take a pause and think hard.
Original Parable: The Mexican Fisherman and the Investment Banker
An American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.
The fisherman replied, “Only a little while.”
The investment banker then asked why he didn’t stay out longer and catch more fish.
The fisherman said he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs.
The investment 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 siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life.”
The investment 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, and 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 Mexico City, then LA and eventually NYC, where you will run your expanding enterprise.”
The fisherman asked, “But how long will this take?”
To which the investment banker replied, “Fifteen to twenty years.”
“But what then?”
The investment 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?” asked the fisherman. “Then what?”
The investment 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 siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evening, sip wine, and play guitar with your amigos!”
This parable shows us that the pursuit of wealth can blind us from appreciating the blessings of the present. It reminds us that true wealth can be the simple joy of life that is already in front of us.
But, suppose, the story goes on:
A few years later…
Nostalgia brings the American investment banker back to that little fishing village.
He sees the same fisherman. The fisherman remembers him. They give each other a warm hug, find a little antojito stand and sit down.
As they are drinking beer, the fisherman says, “My friend, remember you told me to spend more time fishing so I could buy more boats and so on, and expand my enterprise?”
“Yes…” the investment banker feels bad about his arrogant unsolicited advice.
The fisherman said, “Well, I wished I asked you more about how to do it.”
The investment banker looks puzzled.
The fisherman goes on, “My oldest daughter has this idea that she wants to be an astronaut. I don’t know where she gets the idea from. She wants to go to university in Mexico City. She even wants to get a PhD in America! I don’t have that kind of money to pay for it. Now the younger kids, and my amigos’ kids, are following her and say they want to do this and that. My amigos can’t afford it either. What should I do?”
“How old is your daughter?” The investment banker asked.
“16”, the fisherman replied, “She wants to go to university in two years after graduating from high school.”
The investment banker gave a reassuring pat on the fisherman’s back, “Don’t worry, amigo. I can help you. I will pay for your oldest daughter’s university tuition for four years. In the meantime, I will work with you to expand your fishing operation sustainably. Also, we will think about auxiliary businesses related to fishing that you and your amigos can engage in, to bring income through other streams. You and your amigos will be able to pay for the other children to fulfill their dreams.”
Priorities change, and dreams can change too. I work with many people who want to feed more than their own families, stroll in the villages in distant lands, play with other people’s kids, and make music with strangers.
Cherish the blessings of the present. Don’t let other people’s priorities dictate ours. Use the gifts we have. Dream big, and support the dreams of others.
