Why Are We Working So Hard
An investment banker was on the pier of a little coastal village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. His boat was full of beautiful yellow tuna. The banker complimented the fisherman on his catch, asking how long it had taken him.
The fisherman replied, "only a short time."
The banker asked why he did not stay out and catch more.
The fisherman replied, "I've enough fish to feed my family."
The banker then asked what the fisherman did with the rest of his time.
The fisherman replied, "I will sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, stroll into the village each evening, be with my friends, play my guitar. I have a full and busy life."
The banker was not impressed. "I have a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat and from those increased proceeds you could buy several boats and soon have a fleet. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you could control production, processing and distribution by building your own cannery. You could leave this small coastal village and move to the city, then to New York where you could run your expanding enterprise."
The fisherman asked, "How long will this take?"
The banker said, "Ten to twenty years."
"But what then?"
"Next you would announce an IPO and sell your stock to the public, making millions and millions. Then you could retire to a small coastal village where you could sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings, be with your friends and play your guitar," said the banker smiling.