The Mexican Fisherman is a variation of a short story originally told by Heinrich Böll. It’s about an encounter between an American investment banker and a Mexican fisherman…
An 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 yellowfin 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 didn’t he stay out longer and catch more fish? The Mexican said he had enough to support his family’s needs. The American then asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”
The Mexican fisherman said, “I sleep in, fish a little, play with my children, take siestas with my wife Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full life.”
The American scoffed, “I’m a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and, with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. 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 village and move to Mexico City, then LA, and eventually New York City, where you’ll run your expanding enterprise.”
The Mexican fisherman asked, “But, how long will this all take?”
To which the American replied, “15 – 20 years.”
“Then what?” Asked the Mexican.
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!”
“Then what?”
The American said, “Then you could retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you could sleep in, fish a little, play with your kids, take siestas with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos.”
The Mexican Fisherman and your health & fitness…
Do you want to be an Olympian? A HYROX champion? Mr. Olympia? You’ll need to dedicate your life to your pursuit and sacrifice a lot.
But if you just want to feel great and enjoy your life… it’s pretty simple and you can start right now.
Ask yourself…
“What do I want?” “What’s enough?”
Figure out what you want & why and pursue it for you. Get out of the rat race & off the hamster wheel. Slow down and simplify your life.
I spun my wheels for years. Racing around but not getting anywhere. I was in the gym 6 days a week, punished myself with boring cardio, and stressed about my “diet.”
“Then what?”
Well then, I thought, “I’ll be in phenomenal shape and can train less to maintain it and finally start enjoying my life.”
I don’t need to be the biggest, strongest, most ripped, or “best” anything. Fool’s errands.
Having a nice little body—inside & out—is enough for me.
Don’t fall into the trap of chasing/wanting more for the sake of chasing/wanting more. Ask yourself, “Why?” Realize what’s enough for you. Anything else is a bonus and should come as a byproduct of a lifestyle you enjoy.
Keep your wellness plan simple. Focus on quality over quantity. Don’t complicate things or add things for the sake of it. Wellness is as much about not doing bad things as it is doing good things.
Don’t wait to enjoy your life. Don’t wait for the weekend, a vacation, the summer… find joy in your everyday life and in the so-called little things.
Don’t wait to enjoy your nice little body, even if you’re just starting out. Show yourself love and tell yourself you have a nice little body right now (but don’t be delusional if you need to get your health in order).
Don’t miss out on the life you have because of the life you seek. Don’t miss out on the body you have because of the body you seek.
Simplify your life. Maybe you already have what you’re seeking.
. . . . . . . . . . The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his nice little body and asked how long it takes to get one.
The Mexican replied, “Only a little while.” The American then asked why didn’t he train longer and harder? Then you’ll be bigger, stronger, and more ripped! The Mexican said he had enough to support his needs & wants. The American then asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”
The Mexican said, “I sleep in, fish a little, play with my children, take siestas with my wife, stroll into the village each evening where I sip tequila and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full, healthy life.”