When is Enough, Enough?? A story of perspective..

A recent Harvard graduate decided to take a working vacation. He was an entrepreneur and was eager to to see what kind of opportunities he would come across. He decided on a chain of beautiful islands to be his source of inspiration.

One day, while on a sunset walk on the beach, the young grad noticed a young man coming to shore with a boat full of fish.

The Harvard grad watched in amazement as the fisherman unloaded the days catch. “Wow!!” he thought to himself as he walked over to speak to the fisherman.

“You must have been fishing all day to bring home a catch this size,” said the graduate.

“Actually, responded the fisherman, I was only out there for a couple of hours. I’ve lived on this island my entire life. My grandfather fished these waters. He taught my father his secrets and my father passed them on to me.”

“What will you do with all these fish?” asked the graduate.

“I will take some home to my family and we will be able to eat for the rest of the week. Then I will give the rest to my friends and family in the village so they can do the same.”

“What do you do with the rest of your time?” asked the ambitious Harvard entrepreneur.

“I spend it with my family and friends. We celebrate. We laugh. We raise our kids together. Then, when we need more food, I come back to the boat and go fish for a couple of hours.”

The Harvard grad’s mind was reeling. He was starting to realize the income potential of the fisherman’s unique ability. He couldn’t wait to enlighten this ignorant fisherman.

“You’re doing this all wrong,” explained the grad. “You should fish for 8–12 hours a day. You will not only be able to feed your family, but then you can sell the rest of the fish to your friends in the village. The amount of money you can make is immeasurable!”

The fisherman paused. He began to contemplate why his grandfather or father never thought of this. Why wouldn’t they have capitalized on their fishing secret?

“That is a great idea,” replied the fisherman. Wanting more ideas from the young entrepreneur, the fisherman became more inquisitive.

“So, after I fish all day, feed my family, and sell the rest, what would I do next?”

With a grin, the grad replied, “Well, after a few months of selling fish to your village, you will have saved some money. With the extra cash, you buy a few more boats and hire a staff. You will start your own small, fishing company and you can sell fish to the other islands.”

“My own fishing company!? Wow! What would I do then?” asked the fisherman.

“Well, now it’s time to get serious. You will need to keep working 40–60 hour weeks for the next 3 to 4 years. To grow your new business, you will need more money to buy bigger boats, hire more staff, and move to a bigger port.”

Growing more and more interested, the fisherman continues, “So more boats lead to more fish. More fish leads to more money. More money leads to an even bigger port, near a big city. Tell me, what would I do then?”

With a proud smile, the Harvard grad can hardly contain himself. “You see, you are now on track to becoming the preeminent fishing company in the world! But it may take some work. You would need to spend the next 20 years fishing 60 hours a week.”

“My family would be the preeminent fishing company in the world?! I’m sure that would make my grandfather and father proud.”

The young, humble, fisherman stared out over the water imagining what could be. He couldn’t help but ask, “What would I do then?”

“Well now you are finally successful! It’s time to cash out,” replied the grad. “It’s time to sell the company you’ve spent over 20 years building. You could fetch millions and millions of dollars!!”

“Me? A millionaire?” The fisherman was beside himself. In his wildest dreams he never believed this was a possibility. The fisherman seemed gracious and fortunate to have met this young graduate. But had to ask one more question.

“You see, those of us on the island have never been around that much money. What would I do then?”

The Harvard grad looked at the fisherman in disbelief. He couldn’t understand why that was even a question. To the graduate the answer was simple.

“This is the best part! Now you can retire to a small fishing village. You could fish for a couple of hours a day and spend the rest of your time with your friends and family!!”

There are many interpretations to this simple story. But the hustle, pressure, and society in general, sell us on the idea of MORE. This is the challenge we all face. We will always be under the watchful eye of others.

The question becomes, are you strong enough to withstand it? Have you defined what "GREAT" means to YOU? What is YOUR motivation?

Have you taken the time to challenge your path? Is it your own? Is it worth it? Have you identified your “WHY”?

Too often, we take on the face of others. We try to become what others want us to become. It’s easier that way. We will always have someone or something to blame if it doesn’t work out.

• You strive to be an elite athlete because your mom loves telling her friends how great you are. In reality, you HATE the sport and the work that comes with it.
• You chase a corporate position because your dad and brother are both executives. Truth be told, you can’t stand wearing a suit and tie.
• You search for a relationship status because your sister is already married. But wait, you enjoy your solidarity.
• You maintain a lifestyle because your friends have new cars and big houses. Hold on, you value simplicity.

Challenging yourself is difficult. Asking and answering questions that cut to the bone are uncomfortable. Yet, those who choose their own path are the real success stories. Those who write their own ending tell their tale best. Those who stay true to themselves sleep tight at night.

So, what’s your fishing village going look like and what’s your path to get there?

I hope this sparks some thought. I would love to hear your interpretation of the fisherman and Harvard grad (there are so many!).