Several years ago, I came across a story that made me think differently about success. I don’t know who originally wrote it, and there are several versions floating around, but the lesson is timeless.
It goes something like this…
A successful American businessman was vacationing in a small fishing village in Mexico.
One afternoon, he watched as a fisherman returned to shore with several beautiful yellowfin tuna in his small boat.
Impressed, the businessman complimented him on the quality of his catch and asked how long it had taken.
“Only a little while,” the fisherman replied.
The businessman looked puzzled.
“If you can catch fish that quickly, why don’t you stay out longer and catch more?”
The fisherman smiled.
“Because this is enough to provide for my family’s needs.”
“But what do you do with the rest of your day?” the businessman asked.
The fisherman answered, “I sleep in a little, fish for a while, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, and in the evenings I walk into the village. I have dinner with friends, play guitar, enjoy a few drinks, and laugh. I have a full and busy life.”
The businessman couldn’t help himself.
“I’m a Harvard MBA,” he said. “Let me give you some advice.”
“You should spend more time fishing. With the extra money, you could buy a larger boat. Eventually, you could buy several boats. Before long you’d have a fleet.”
“Instead of selling your fish to a middleman, you’d sell directly to distributors. Eventually, you could open your own cannery, control production, distribution, and marketing.”
“You’d move to a big city, build a successful company, and one day you could sell it for millions.”
The fisherman asked, “How long would all of that take?”
“Probably fifteen to twenty years.”
“And then what?”
The businessman smiled.
“That’s the best part.”
“You retire. You move to a small fishing village. You sleep in a little. Fish when you want. Spend time with your wife and children. Take afternoon naps. Walk into town in the evenings, enjoy dinner with friends, play guitar, and relax.”
The fisherman looked at him for a moment and quietly asked,
“Isn’t that what I’m doing now?”
The Wrong Lesson
Most people hear that story and conclude that ambition is bad.
I don’t think that’s the point at all.
The businessman wasn’t wrong for wanting to build something.
And the fisherman wasn’t wrong for enjoying the life he already had.
The lesson is that too many people spend their lives chasing goals they’ve never actually examined.
They climb ladders only to discover the ladder was leaning against the wrong wall.
Real Estate and the American Dream
In real estate, I see this all the time.
People assume they need a bigger house because that’s what successful people do.
Others refuse to move because they’re worried about giving up a low mortgage rate, even though the home no longer fits their needs.
Some want acreage.
Others want less maintenance.
Some dream of a lake house.
Others want to be closer to grandkids.
None of those goals are right or wrong.
The question is:
What kind of life are you trying to build?
The house is simply a tool.
It’s not the destination.
Becoming vs. Doing
One of the mindset concepts I write about often is the difference between doing and becoming.
Most people focus on what they’re doing:
- Working
- Saving
- Investing
- Buying
- Selling
But fewer people stop and ask who they’re becoming.
Are your decisions creating more freedom?
More relationships?
More peace?
More purpose?
Or are they simply keeping you busy?
The fisherman knew exactly what he valued.
The businessman knew how to build wealth.
The ideal approach is probably somewhere in the middle.
Build something meaningful.
Work hard.
Pursue excellence.
But don’t lose sight of why you’re doing it.
A Personal Reflection
As many of you know, I’ve worked in both the corporate world and real estate.
Like most people, I’ve spent years chasing goals, promotions, certifications, and accomplishments.
Some of those pursuits have been worthwhile.
Others taught me that achievement and fulfillment aren’t always the same thing.
These days, I try to ask a different question:
Not “How do I get more?”
But “What am I building all of this for?”
Because eventually, the goal isn’t the bigger boat.
The goal is the life the boat is supposed to create.
The Bottom Line
Whether you’re buying a home, selling one, investing in real estate, or simply planning your future, don’t let someone else’s definition of success become your own.
Take time to decide what matters most.
Then build your life around that.
Because the best real estate decision isn’t always the one that makes the most money.
Sometimes it’s the one that creates the life you actually want to live.