Don't Follow the Crowd

D2Cat

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Mar 27, 2014
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A friend sent this to me.

I lost a good friend this week and kind of been down.
It was totally unexpected and a shock to everyone.
I talked to his wife for a minute and his son is trying to run the store.
They are both pretty much in shock and overwhelmed:
Maybe he worked to hard, too many hours, too much stress
Made me remember this story

An American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small 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.”
 

LDowney

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Kubota MX6000
That's so true. I've always said, no one on their death bed wishes they had spent more time at the office or at work. My son turns 14 this summer and truthfully, he was just 5 yesterday. If you don't believe time flies, look at the face of your child.

I recently found out my office has black mold in the walls. They are closing us for renovations and removal of the black mold the last week in June and all of July. Most in my office staff are stressed and worried about having to use up all our vacation time for the closure. Not me. I can hardly wait. I'm going to do a little extra tractor work, take my family to the outer banks for a week and take my son to the lake and golf course as many times as he wants to go. He's turning 14 as I mentioned above. It won't be long and he'll be off to college.

Sorry, didn't mean to be long winded. Great story. Thanks for sharing it with us.
 

D2Cat

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Sometimes the best thing that can happen to someone, when it happens scares the life right out of them because it seems to destroy their patterns. They may not realize it's blessing until months or usually years later.

People often want to change something in their life, but their apparent security won't let them take a risk. When their security (or lack of) is suddenly exposed, their creative juices start to flow again when their survival instinct takes over.

Then later, they realize they wish they had made the decision much earlier.
 

procraftmike

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1977 B7100DT w/B219 FEL
Jan 27, 2016
277
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18
Neenah, WI
What a timely post. I was sitting outside work this morning, listening to Jason Aldean's song "Laughed until we cried". I had a tear in my eye, thinking back, how just a few years ago, my 22 year old son was born. I can remember that day like it was yesterday. He moved out several years ago. We don't get together to hunt and fish as much as we used too....and boy, I really miss it. We work so hard to get them prepaid for the big world and look forward to that day, only to really miss them after it happens.

Time waits for no one. I think the older we get, the more we realize it and the more we cherish it. It is the quality time spent with friends and family that really matters. The rest is just noise.

Thanks for the timely post.
 

Lil Foot

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My father was very "old school" when it came to being faithful to the company. They paid him well, (highest paid tool designer in the company's history) but they also took advantage of his faithfulness, asking him to work 70-90hrs per week for over 2 years, without many days off or any vacation time. (no overtime either, he was salaried) He then got sick, and died within 4 months, 4 days past his 41st birthday. I would have preferred he worked a lesser job if it meant we could have had more time together. Everything was always "Next year we will... "
That experience made me vehemently against long hours & overtime, and made me tailor my career (when ever possible) towards more time off & more vacation time. The last 12 years I worked, my schedule was 3 twelve hour days, a 4 hour day, and done for the week by noon on Thursday. (no overtime allowed or wanted) I also had 7 weeks paid vacation per year, and when things got slow, I often took unpaid time off, sometimes for a month at a time, so that our group didn't have to lay anyone off.
 

CaveCreekRay

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Jul 11, 2014
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Some people "live to work."

I worked to live.

Like many at our company, Bill was lured to the "greed trough" 24/7. Our airline allows voluntary overtime for guys wanting a little extra in their paycheck. Bill couldn't let go and worked about 130% of a regular monthly line total. Finally, it was retirement time for Bill.

After a final flight, we wished him well and he went home to enjoy his time off.

Two months later, we got word that Bill had passed from a heart attack. Just like pilots of old, it turns out that work was his life. It meant everything to him because he was among friends. At home, he was just waiting to go back to work.

Life is a balance. Choices have to be made. Priorities are ours to make. Just know, you cannot go back. Be at peace with your choices. If you are young or mid-life, look ahead and change what you can now, if it bothers you. Accept what you cannot change and seek the good things in life for life is truly fleeting.

Ray
 

D2Cat

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The military did a study of retired officers. They found that those who retired with nothing to do, no hobbies or other interest, died within something like 26 months.

I looked for some evidence to link to, but I had a printed copy many years ago. It is evidence enough to make one think about expanding one's horizons.
 

sheepfarmer

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The advice I can contribute is to fit as many of those bucket list items in when you are still relatively young, and still working. I had a wonderful bucket list of things to do when retired, no danger of getting bored, but some require physical capabilities I no longer have, darn it. Have to move on to some others instead. Fortunate to have lots of interests.
 

Tooljunkie

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I worked many full time jobs over the years, last job was a good paying government job, that at first i loved, then budget became non-existent and micro-management reached an all time high.
Stress became an issue,so much it started causing health issues.

19 months ago i got in my truck and went home. I calculated how many hours i needed to operate an auto repair shop and discovered i didnt have to work very hard if i didnt want to. Bills are paid, i coffee whenever i want for as long as i want. I pay myself a small salary and i spend every day in my shop. 7 days a week. Working or relaxing, its a toss up what i call it.
I have hard days, long days and free days. But i decide how hard i want to work.
Im busy, and work can be non stop if i let it.

Buddy says build a bigger shop and hire a couple guys. Nope. I have one person to answer to and one to blame if something goes wrong. Me. And if i want to give my time for free to help someone out, i can. I have and will contine to do so whenever i see it necessary.
Love what you do and do what you love. The days pass by so much easier.
 

Diydave

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at least we'll never have to worry about our glorious leader having a heart attack, what with his work ethic...

There, sarcasm meter pegged, my job is done, for today, now to the golf course...:D:D
 

Tooljunkie

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As Sheepfarmer said, the bucket list should be a priority as well. Have a friend say travel while you still have your health. He just retired, too sick to go anywhere.
Things to do, people to see and places to go. Started about 7 years ago. I dont regret it for a minute.