Tuesday, January 20, 2009

What do we all want in life?

As we grow older, as we approach another year, what EXACTLY do we all want in life? Not much actually - if we really look deep into our inner self (well, maybe not that deep...). We just all want simple basic things in life - to enjoy nature and to sit back with our loved ones and just take in all the goodness around us...I read this article (StarBiz 19Jan09) and couldn't help but want to share it with everyone. So take 5 and just read on...

An investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal fishing village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat - several large yellow fin tuna.

The banker complimented the fisherman on the quality of the fish and asked how long it took to catch them. "Only a little while", the fisherman replied.

Investment Banker (IB): "Why not stay a little longer and catch more?"
Fisherman (FM): "With this, I have more than enough for my family."
IB: "So what d'ya do with the rest of your time?"
FM: "Well, I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take walks with my wife, stroll into the village every evening, sip wine and play some guitar with my friends. As you can see, I have a full and busy life."
IB (scoffed) : "I'm a Harvard Grad and can help you. You should spend more time fishing, and with the proceeds can have a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat, well, you can have several more boats!

Eventually, you'll have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman, you can sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution.
You would need to leave this small coastal village and move to the capital city! Then who knows, maybe you could take on the world!"

FM: "But, how long will all this take?"
IB: "I'd say 15 to 20 years."
FM: "Then what?"

IB (laughing) : "That's the best part! When the time comes, you would announce an IPO, sell your company stock to the public and become very rich. You could make millions!"
FM: "Millions?...Then what?"
IB: "Then you would retire, move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take romantic walks with your wife, sip wine, play guitar and sing songs with your friends!"

To which the fisherman mused - "Now isn't that strange? Isn't that what I'm doing now?"

The story ends here. THINK.

(...and we were bankers...)
SO WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW?
Gong Xi Fa Cai!

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