A Story Worth Reading
When I wake up in the morning, I get to write. Do you know how beautiful that is? I get to write my own story, my own life, my own beginning, middle, and end.
I am not necessarily talking about getting out my #3 pencil and putting it all down on paper. Speaking of which, I still have no idea what the numbers on the pencil mean, but for some reason we were required to use #2 pencils in my old school. Screw that. If I want to use a #3, then you better believe I'm going to use a #3.
Ok, back to the real story - I am talking about being the one true author of my own life. Nobody else. Sure they can try, but they will fail.
Of course, that means I have to be reactive. I have to be proactive. But above all else, I have to be creative. And yes, that is the most beautiful part of it all.
Guess what? So do you. There is no magic sauce, doctor prescribed pill, or training necessary. It only takes guts.
It sort of reminds me of a funny story I heard awhile back. It's called "The Executive and Fisherman" and it goes something like this:
An American investment banker was taking a much-needed vacation in a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. The boat had several large, fresh fish in it.
The investment banker was impressed by the quality of the fish and asked the fisherman how long it took to catch them.
The fisherman replied, “Only a little while.”
The banker then asked why he didn’t stay out longer and catch more fish?
The fisherman replied he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs.
The American then asked “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”
The fisherman replied, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my dog, have dinner with my wife under the stars, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my friends: I have a full and busy life, sir.”
The investment banker scoffed, “I am an Ivy League MBA, and I could help you. You could spend more time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat, and with the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats until eventually you would have a whole fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to the middleman you could sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You could control the product, processing and distribution.”
Then he added, “Of course, you would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City where you would run your growing enterprise.”
The fisherman asked, “But sir, how long will this all take?”
To which the American replied, “15-20 years.”
“But what then?” asked the fisherman.
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 could make millions.”
“Millions, sir? Then what?”
To which the investment banker replied, “Then you would retire. You could move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your dog, dine with your wife under the stars, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your friends….”
The message: Write your own damn life. Period. Because the ones who think you're crazy for going after what you want really hate their life deep down inside. Remember that.
