the wisdom of jimmy johns

have you ever read all those little signs on the walls at jimmy johns? some are hilarious, and some are kind of inspired. when i read this one i got real excited, because i so agree...and it's a good reminder that i already have everything i need.

the parable of the mexican fisherman

a fishing boat docked in a tiny coastal village in mexico. an american tourist complimented the mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them.

"not very long," answered the mexican.

"but then, why didn't you stay out longer and catch more?" asked the american.

the mexican explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his needs and those of his family.

the american asked, "but what do you do with the rest of your time?"

"i sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my wife. in the evenings, i stroll into the village to see my friends, play the guitar and sing a few songs...i have a full life."

the american interrupted, "i have an mba from harvard and i can help you! you should start by fishing longer every day. you can then sell the extra fish you catch. with the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat.

"and after that?" asked the mexican.

with the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. then you can leave this little village and move to mexico city, los angeles, or even new york city! from there you can direct your huge new enterprise."

"how long would that take?" asked the mexican.

"ten, perhaps twenty years," replied the american.

"and after that?" the mexican asked.

"afterwards? that's when it gets really interesting," answered the american, laughing. "when your business gets really big, you can start selling stocks and make millions!"

"millions? really? and after that?"

"after that you'll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife and spend your evenings enjoying your friends."