I seem to go through fits and starts of wondering “What’s Next?” It’s made more complicated for me because for the first time in my life I’m in the fortunate place of creating from abundance. I have money and resources, and I definitely have the time. I have all the passive income I need from my business ownership. Every time I’ve answered “What’s Next?” in the past, it was coming from a place of survival.
Back then, I had to make money, and my family needed me to succeed. I knew I’d never let them down, and I never did.
I keep waiting for something new to strike me, like a bolt of lightning and a “eureka!”
While doing some journaling on this topic recently, I had the thought “the answer is already known to me.”
It’s not going to be something random and new. I’m not going to suddenly have a desire to work in the Forestry Services, when I’ve never even been a Boy Scout.
And then I was reminded of a past article I wrote, at the very start of my blog, 4 years ago. I shared the parable of The Mexican Fisherman (I’m including it again below).
As I revisited that blog article, written by me, for me, 4 years ago, I couldn’t believe I had the answer then. This is before the years of healing, psychotherapy, deep coaching, new experiences, meeting new people, hosting Zooms, learning how to tap into my own power, writing over 200 articles for the Frolic 100, having 2 separate books published, and everything else I’ve done in the past 4 years.
And that simple story speaks to me as powerfully today as it did then. Even more so.
I’m stunned that this story was one of the very first things I shared on my blog. I wasn’t ready for the wisdom of it then. I’m in a better place today. It reminds me of my thoughts of the “Victory Lap” I find myself in, and of running my own race.
I don’t think we necessarily need to aspire to live a life like the fisherman, but I find it a great reminder that sometimes we’ve reached a place we have all we need and to question the voices that we are hearing about needing to do “more”.
What does the story bring up for you?
The American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.
The Mexican replied, “Only a little while.”
The American then asked why he didn’t stay out longer and catch more fish.
The Mexican said he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs.
The American then asked, “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 wine and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life.”
The American scoffed. “I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat, and 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 LA and eventually NYC, where you will run your expanding enterprise.”
The Mexican fisherman asked, “But how long will this take?”
To which the American replied, “Fifteen to twenty 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?” asked the fisherman. “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 siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evening, sip wine, and play guitar with your amigos!”
