The Lesson of Positano

In every village there are four men -- never more, never less -- who sit in the square with their cigarettes, their espresso and their newspapers, arguing, laughing, reading, living.

The cab driver explained that working 7 days a week for 7 months was too much.  So he called a friend. And when he takes a day off, his friend drives.  And when his friend needs a break, he drives.  He works until dinner and then his friend works till midnight.

"The only one to work 7 days is the car."

He smiled at this discovery and looked in the rear view mirror to see if I was equally impressed.  I held the question as long as I could, but it spilled out.  The American question that had to come and his Italian Amalfi Coast answer was at the ready.

"So do you make more money?" I asked

"What does it matter?" he replied.  "I have more time.  More time at home.  In my garden.  With my kids."

It reflects the story of the Mexican fisherman.

An American investment banker at a pier in a small Mexican village eyes a small boat with one fisherman.  Inside the boat were several large yellowfin tuna.  The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

The Mexican replied, “only a little while.”

The American then asked why didn’t he stay out longer and catch more fish? The Mexican said 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 Mexican fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siestas with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine, and play guitar with my amigos.  I have a full and busy life.”

The American scoffed, “I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat, you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would 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 fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually New York City, where you will run your expanding enterprise.”

The Mexican fisherman asked, “But, how long will this all take?”

To which the American replied, “15 – 20 years.”

“But what then?” Asked the Mexican.

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 would make millions!”

“Millions – then what?”

The American said, “Then you would retire.  Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siestas with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos.”