“Do you still have to put in a lot of effort to attain financial independence if you’re doing well now?”
Permit me to tell you a tale —
A wealthy businessman vacationed on a remote island. and hired fisherman as a guide.
After a few days of getting along, the businessman suggested to the fisherman: “Why don’t you get a new fishing boat so you can catch more fish and earn more money?”
“And then what,” the fisherman asked.
You can set aside your earnings to purchase a second or third fishing boat, building up your own fleet.
“and then?”
“You have the resources to establish a fish canning facility and market your products globally.”
“and then?”
You can enjoy your life and spend a month at a slow pace on this island, just like I do.
The fisherman answered the businessman as follows:
“But, you know, I’ve been having a great time living on this island, huh?”
The two exchanged words and then fell silent.
The businessman then left a message.
“Perhaps you imagine that you might live permanently on this island, but that only takes up a little portion of my year.”
—
The narrative can be read in one of two ways:
Someone once said, “I don’t need a lot of money to live well,” which I overheard from several pals.
They typically believe that their lives are already excellent, so why work so hard? Is it worth it if it takes a long time but you miss out on the fun of the moment?
He might have attained the ideal state in his life, just like the fisherman in the tale. The rest of the time, he can spend with his family and take in the stunning island environment. He only needs to replace the fish a little bit each day and occasionally assist tourists as a guide.
However, the businessman mentioned a second level of divergent thinking in his final phrase.
“Perhaps you imagine that you might live permanently on this island, but that only takes up a little portion of my year.”
The fisherman appears to have the perfect life, but in reality, he or she has no other options.
The fisherman has no savings, and he will stop earning money once he leaves the island. He is unable to take his family on vacation and finds it challenging to purchase a new home or automobile. He might not be able to provide them the better education and vision they require. Although the ecosystem as a whole changes, his quality of life will soon deteriorate significantly the moment the fish or tourists are not as good as they were.
If you look at it from a different perspective, the fisherman appears to be living the “perfect life,” taking vacations every day, but in reality he is incapable of avoiding danger.
What changes must a fisherman make if he wants real options?
He already knows the solution thanks to the businessman’s counsel. The business of the fisherman appears to be expanded, and there are even some unsettling questions hidden behind it. The process might not succeed, there might not be a market for growing businesses, people might be afraid of taking on debt or of living in a lower-quality environment. However, by moving outside of their comfort zone, fisherman face a variety of issues, and their “problem-solving aptitude” will also be enhanced.
“You have more options in life when your problem-solving skills develop.”
Returning to the original query:
“Do you still have to put in a lot of effort to attain financial independence if you’re doing well now?”
There are other comparable inquiries, including:
- Should I remain in a skilled post or be promoted to a more challenging supervisory role?
- Should the startup take on a hazardous venture or stay at work and wait for a consistent raise?
- Should we focus on the current, steady industry or attempt the tough business development?
Many times, even though you want things to change, you put it off because everything is okay as it is. Should you ultimately battle valiantly or maintain your composure? Really, it just comes down to how much freedom you want.
Short summary
- Just because you’re currently doing well doesn’t give you the right to make any decisions.
- Increasing your options requires strengthening your problem-solving skills.