Each minute of our life is a lesson but most of us fail to read it. I thought I would just add my daily lessons & the lessons that I learned by seeing the people around here. So it may be useful for you and as memories for me.

This Small Story Of ‘ Life Of A Fisherman’ Tells Us The Importance Of Hard Work & How To Live A meaningful Life Beating All Odds!

The short story of The Mexican Fisherman was originally told by Heinrich Böll about an encounter between a tourist and a small fisherman on a European coast.

It’s one of my favorite stories – The Parable of The Mexican Fisherman. It’s short, fun, and packs an important message.

I remember first hearing this inspiring story when I was in my “dream school i.e. Noble Public School, Andhra Pradesh, India in 1990s”. I shared the story with my students to encourage them to keep perspective about pursuing what makes them most passionate in life … and why.

The more I shared this story with others, the more I realized how much perspective I had lost myself. Soon thereafter, I moved away from my school to pursue higher studies and then I continued to share that inspiring and meaningful story till date. A lot of people thought I was crazy.

Here is the story…

A tourist went to Mexico and praised the local fishermen for the quality of their fish and then asked them?
How much time do you need to catch it? And the fishermen answered him in one voice:
“Not long”
He asked them: Why don’t you spend more time and fish more?
The fishermen made it clear that their little catch would suffice their needs and the needs of their families!
He asked them: But what do you do in the rest of your time?
They answered:
We sleep late..
We fish a little…
We play with our children.
We eat with our wives.
And in the evening we visit our friends..
We have fun, laugh and chant some songs
The tourist interrupted:
I have an MBA from Harvard University and I can help you!
You have to start fishing for long periods every day..and then sell the extra fish for a bigger return
And buy a bigger fishing boat 00
They asked him: Then what?
He replied: With the big boat and the extra money..
You can buy a second and third boat, and so on until you have an integrated fleet of fishing vessels,
Instead of selling your catch to an intermediary, you will negotiate directly with the factories, and perhaps you will also open your own factory,
And you will be able to leave this village and move to Mexico, the capital, or Los Angeles or even New York!
From there you will be able to start your giant projects
The fishermen asked the tourist:
How much time will we need to achieve this?
He replied: About twenty or maybe twenty-five year
They asked him: What next?
He replied with a smile: When your business grows, you will speculate in stocks and win millions 00
They asked him in amazement:
Millions? Oh really ?
And what will we do after that?
replied:
Then you can retire
And live quietly in a village on the coast, sleep late..
You play with your children.
And you eat with your wives.
And spend the nights enjoying with friends.
The fishermen answered
With all due respect and appreciation
But that’s exactly what we’re doing now,
So, what is the logic for which we waste twenty-five years of misery?

I love this simple parable. So, what does this story mean for you?

It brings clarity to what the money game is all about… and definitely not about.

It brilliantly illustrates the illusions we so easily fall into when pursuing wealth and financial freedom. It’s far too easy to build incessantly and forget the end game is happiness and a fulfilling life.

It’s equally easy to forget all the goodness we’re surrounded by today.

The truth is, it doesn’t take a lot of money to have a truly wealthy life, but it does take freedom.

So here are some questions for you to ponder as you develop your own life plans for financial freedom:

• What does financial freedom mean to you? How will it change your life?
• What do you really need to be happy and fulfilled?
• How much money do you need to retire?
• Would a simpler life allow you to retire sooner?
• What’s the price you pay for simplicity? Complexity?
• If you died tomorrow, what unfulfilled dreams would you regret having never lived?
• What’s keeping you from living those dreams today?

While it may be a source or importance, power, and prestige to build what is analogous to a large fishing empire, you need to ask yourself what the end goal of all this is in the first place. Is there a quicker route to your goal? Is there a way that you can take the journey to success and enjoy the fruits of success along the way? How can you strategize this to live a happier, fuller life each and every day (or at least as much as possible)?

Is there something you can simplify in your life today to enjoy some of the reward you may be working so hard to earn? What matters most in your life? Have you lost sight of it while chasing down other goals? Have you become distracted?

Give yourself the gift of a few minutes to drop everything and ponder on this concept and these questions. Pausing and taking a few moments right now may set your life on a trajectory toward a brighter and happier future.

I love you. Thank you for letting me share this inspirational story with you. Please come back for more.

Please feel free to share your story and any lessons you learned, experienced, you came across in your life in the comments below. If you enjoyed this or any other posts, I’d be honored if you’d share them with your family, friends, and followers!

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