I saw this story up in a restaurant (well, ok, it was a Jimmy John’s) and thought it was worth repeating. Many sources state the author of this tale is German author, Heinrich Boll. You can find versions of this story all over, and they are all quite similar. Here is one version I found on Paulo Coelho’s blog:
The Fisherman and the Businessman
So many of us judge “success” by what society tells us it is – making more money, gaining promotions, making the most impact, having a bigger house, etc. But the dictionary definition is “the accomplishment of an aim or purpose.” So, if someone’s aim doesn’t line up with the popular idea of what our goals ‘should’ be, but they are accomplishing it, then they have achieved success. Sounds obvious, but I think even people like myself, who consider themselves on the outskirts of the societal norms and expectations, easily get swept up in these accepted notions of what it means to have a successful life. It can be hard to detangle the web of what is our own and what has been fed to us. From time to time (let’s face it, usually after some Internet brainwashing), I’ll suddenly feel like I’m falling short. Like maybe there’s more I need to be doing with my life to measure up or be making a difference or even just to be happy in my own life. But, our family has very purposefully made choices that don’t fit a lot of the societal conventions. So, no, our day-to-day and our milestones aren’t going to look similar to what we see on social media or in magazines or in many circles. I definitely appreciate stories like the one above or quotes like the one below to help get me back on track and realize that I AM living the life I want. Sure, like any human, I’m always setting new goals, but as long as my life is matching up with what I want, then I can set down the comparisons and continue finding my best life.
