Are you happy with your life? The other day I wrote about Radical Simplicity by Dan Price. He simplified his life to the extreme so that he could feel closer to nature and his idea of freedom. While writing that post it got me thinking about a story I have heard many times.

There was a  high powered executive who finally decided to take a well deserved vacation after many years of focused, diligent work. He set off to the tropics to enjoy the sun, the sea and the sand.  One morning, while walking down the beach, he happened upon a fisherman who was pulling in his boat. He started talking to the man and asked what he was doing.

“I’m putting away my boat and gear for the day,” said the fisherman.

“Weren’t the fish biting this morning?” asked the executive.

“Oh no. The fish were very active today and I caught 3 within the first hour I was out?” replied the fisherman.

Amazed, the executive asked, “Then why are you not still fishing?”

“I only fish for what I need for my family and I for the day. That way I can spend some time doing what I love, like fishing, everyday and then relax and enjoy time with my family for the rest of the day.” explained the fisherman.

“That’s crazy,” spouted the executive. “You should stay out and catch as many fish as you can so that you can?”

“What would I do with all the extra fish?” asked the fisherman.

“Well, you could sell it at market.”

“Why should I bother doing that?”

“Well, if you sell the extra fish, you can accumulate enough money to start paying other fisherman to work for you. With more men in the boat you could then catch more fish to sell at market.” explained the executive.

“That sounds like a bunch of unnecessary work,” confessed the fisherman, “I really don’t need the headache of dealing with a bunch of workers.”

“That’s because you don’t see the big picture!” said the executive. “Once you are making more money and have employed more people, you can then use some of the extra money to buy a bigger boat. A bigger boat will allow you to employ an even bigger crew. A bigger crew with catch more fish to be sold a market. More fish sold at market means more income. Of course, your expenses will increase because the bigger boat will be more costly to run, but the extra income will more than cover those cost. In fact, with the extra revenue from the bigger boat, you will soon be able to buy another boat and crew to increase your catch even more.”

“It sounds like I wouldn’t be doing much fishing myself,” said the fisherman. “I’d be managing all of the boats and crews.”

“That’s right, you will have the benefit of being the Boss and get all the perks that come with that,” exclaimed the executive excitedly. “But that’s not all. Once you have built up your fishing fleet, you would likely be approached by a big multi-national corporation who will pay you a handsome sum for the entire fleet.”

“Wow,” said the fisherman. “Sounds like it would be lots of hard work making all of this happen.”

“Absolutely,” replied the executive. “This would all take many years of hard work to get the operation built up and many long hours at the office managing the crews and dealing with the fish marketers to get into the bigger markets. And when the Big Boys come to buy the operation from you, don’t be surprised if they make you jump through many hoops to arrange things just they way they want them.”

“Okay,” replied the fisherman. “Let’s assume I do as you say. I go out fishing all day long, catch much more fish than my family needs. I take the extra fish to the market and sell it to make enough money to hire a crew for my boat. The bigger crew will catch more fish and generate more money at the market so that I can then buy a bigger boat with a bigger crew and bigger revenues.”

“That’s right!” said the executive, realizing he was finally getting through to the fisherman.

“Then once I have bigger revenues, I can buy more boats and more crews. I would then work very hard keeping the operation running smoothly, generating more and more revenue so that I would become big enough for a big multi-national corporation to take notice and come and buy me out.” The fisherman could see the whole picture now.

“You got it!” said the executive, now very proud of his accomplishment.

“What would I do then?” asked the fisherman.

“Well, that’s the best part!” boasted the executive. “Now that you have all that money from the buyout, you could buy yourself a nice place in the tropics. You could also buy yourself a little boat and you could go out fishing every morning, relaxed and happy, enjoying the fruits of your years of hard work.”

Every time I read this story, this is where it ends. Everyone understands that the executive doesn’t see that the fisherman already has what the executive says he will get by going through this long, complication process.

My point isn’t that we shouldn’t work hard. Dan Price worked very hard all those years. Building new shelters, learning how to work the land to suit his visions, producing his magazines, etc. He did this to get closer to nature and to feel free in a way that worked for him.

I also don’t want you to think I have something against people who strive to build something bigger. I know plenty of people who take immense pleasure working to build something in the way that the executive describes. Using their creative mind to generate new products, employ people, etc. That is what makes them happy.

My point is that you need to know what you are doing it all for. Is what you are doing making you happy? Are you enjoying the process as you go? Do you feel whole, or just a cog in the wheel?

Let’s look for a moment at the alternative ending or deleted scenes of our story

“Do you have a family, sir?” asked the fisherman.

“Well, I was married once, but my wife left me years ago. She said I was never home and had no time for her and the kids. They just didn’t seem to realize all that I was doing for them,” explained the executive.

“Add where are your children now?”

“Well, they are all older now. Graduated from university and moved away. I really don’t get to see them very often. We seem to have drifted apart,” said the executive, a little sadder now.

“Do you take time to be with yourself and go on vacations?”

“This is the first vacation I have had in many years. I don’t even remember where I went the last time. I usually don’t do much by myself. I am usually too tired from working to go out or visit with friends.”

“It sounds like you have made many sacrifices to achieve success in business,” surmised the fisherman.

“Yes, I have kept my eye on the ball so that one day I will be free to do as I want.”

“What will your life look like when you get there?” asked the fisherman.

“Well, I haven’t really thought about that. I guess I’ll just figure it out when I get to that point.”

“How will you know when you get to that point?”

“I see,” said the fisherman. “Are you happy?”

“I’m focused,” replied the executive.

“Will you be happy when you get to that point?”

“I’m sure it will all be worth it.”

Like they say, no one on their death bed wishes they spent more time at the office. Yet, many people go through life with blinders on and do not see that they are simply not happy with their lives. They do not see what they have right in front of them. They do not take advantage of every day of their lives. They just exist, hoping to one day find themselves in their happy place. Wherever that is.

Are you happy with your life?