Do you know what you REALLY want?

Below is a story shared with me that I'd now like to share with you…

There once was a Corporate Executive that came across a fisherman while vacationing in Greece. The fisherman had a small, but impressive haul and the Exec stopped to compliment him on a job well done.

The vacationing Exec didn't get much chance to get out and meet new people, so he struck up a conversation with the quaint fisherman.

“How long did it take you to catch all these fish, sir?”

The fisherman shrugged his shoulders and replied, “Not long, an hour or two.”

“Why don't you spend more time fishing?” The Exec asked.

“This is enough to meet the needs of my family.”

Curious, the Exec asked, “And what is it you do with the rest of your time then?”

The fisherman gave it some thought and replied, “I get up when I want, I fish a little, then I go home and play with my children. Sometimes I take a nap with my wife. In the evenings, I venture into the village where I eat, drink, sing, and dance with my friends. I have a full life.”

The Corporate Exec didn't skip a beat. He said, “As a graduate of Harvard, I believe I can help you! You should fish more hours every day and sell the excess. Then with your extra revenue, you should buy a bigger boat to handle a bigger yield each day. Keep increasing your profits and purchasing more boats until you own a whole fleet.

Modern fishing boats under a brooding sky in a dutch fishing harbor

This will put you in the position to skip the middleman and negotiate with the processing plants yourself, or even open your own! By that time, you can move to New York City to manage your enterprise, shipping fish all over the world!”

The fisherman, thought for a minute, and then he questioned, “How long will that take?”

The Corporate Exec's answer was, “20, maybe 25 years.”

“And after that?” The fisherman asked.

“Why, you'll be making millions!”

“Yes, and after that then what?” The fisherman prodded.

Again, without giving it any thought, the Harvard graduating Corporate Exec told the modest fisherman,

“You'll be able to sleep in late, fish whenever you want, and play with your grandchildren. You can take naps with your wife. In the evenings, you'll have the time to spend with your friends, eating, drinking, singing, and dancing. You'll have a full life!”

What's the moral of the story?

Don't let anyone else tell you how to live your life. Your version of Freedom is just that, YOURS. Seek the advice and counsel of those who can help you achieve those dreams and goals faster, but don't lose focus on what is REALLY important to you!

What does freedom mean to you?