A Fisherman and an Executive

This is a classic tale about a fisherman and an executive that’s still relevant today and helps clarify the real value of money and the importance of individual plans.

A powerful executive was walking along the beach in a small coastal village.

He noticed a small boat with just one fisherman. Inside the small boat were several large fish.

The executive complimented the fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

The fisherman replied, “Not very long.”

The executive then asked, “Then why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more fish?”

To which the fisherman responded, “I have enough to support my family.”

“But what do you do with the rest of your time?” the executive asked.

The fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, and stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos.”

The executive quickly interrupted;

“I have an MBA from Harvard and 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. 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. After many years of growth, you would need to leave this village and move to the big city where you will run your expanding enterprise.”

“And after that?” the fisherman asked.

“Afterwards? That’s when it gets really interesting,” answered the executive, laughing.

“When the time is right you would sell your company stock to the public and become very rich. You could make millions.”

“Millions? Really? Then what?”, said the fisherman.

“Then you could finally retire and move to a small coastal fishing village! There you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a siesta with your wife, and stroll to the village in the evenings where you would sip wine and play guitar with your amigos.”


So, why do you work? Do you have a clear idea for what your end goal is?

Often we can slip into the idea that we need to work more and make more money. However, this may not translate to a happier more fulfilled life.

Starting with the end goal in mind can help you make the right decisions and plans for you and your financial future.

What drives you, may not motivate the next person.

That is why we here at Stephan Independent Advisory always lead with goals and values, so that each financial plan is uniquely suited to each of our clients.

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