The Good Life

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients,  August, 2001  

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The American businessman was at the pier of a remote coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. In the boat were several kilograms of wonderful shrimp. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his shrimp and asked how long it took to catch them. The Mexican replied "Only a couple of hours." The American then asked why didn't he stay out longer and catch more? The Mexican said he had enough to support his family's immediate needs. The American enquired "but what do you do with the rest of your time?" The Mexican 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 cerveza and play the guitar with my amigos, I have a full and busy life, senor."

The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time shrimping and with the money 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 Mexico City, then Los Angeles and eventually New York City where you will run your expanding enterprise."

The Mexican fisherman asked, "But senor, how long will this all take?" To which the American replied, "15-20 years." "But what then, senor?" 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, senor? Then what? The American said, "Then you could 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 evenings where you could sip cerveza and play your guitar with your amigos."

Moral of the story...learn how to play the guitar today and enjoy yourself.....

COPYRIGHT 2001 The Townsend Letter Group
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning