On doctor’s orders, an American businessman took a vacation to a small coastal Mexican village. Unable to sleep after an urgent phone call from the office the first morning, he walked out to the pier to clear his head. A small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish.
“How long did it take you to catch them?” the American asked.
The Mexican replied in surprisingly good English, "Only a little while".
The American then asked, “Why didn't you stay out longer and catch more fish?”
“I have enough to support my family and give a few to friends,” the Mexican said as he unloaded them into a basket.
"But… what do you do with the rest of your time?"
The Mexican fisherman looked up and smiled. "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, and stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life."
The American laughed and stood tall. "Sir, I am a Harvard MBA and can help you. You should spend more time fishing and buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds you could buy several more boats, and eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats.”
He continued, “Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you could 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 with proper management."
The Mexican fisherman asked, "But senor, how long will this all take?"
To which the American replied, "15-20 years."
“But what then?"
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? Then what?"
The American 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 a siesta with your wife, and stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."*
So what are you working for? More importantly, what are your clients and customers working for? How can you accelerate their realization of those dreams? Become a dream maker and your dreams too will be realized.
Pro Lead Management was founded to help clients identify and exploit new opportunities. Want an outside perspective and fresh ideas to create new business? Call 888.836.8567 or contact us by clicking here.
* The 4-Hour Workweek, by Timothy Ferriss, p. 231-232
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