Work hard, use your talents, perhaps start a business, maybe even make the world a better place OR accomplish little, yet be relaxed and happy OR
Is it more important to you to have little, accomplish little, yet be relaxed and happy and spend time with family? Or is it more important to you to work hard, use your talents, perhaps start a business, maybe even make the world a better place along the way ?
-- Richard J. Light, professor at Harvard Graduate School of Education and author of "Making the Most of College."
a parable of a happy fisherman living a simple life on a small island. The fellow goes fishing for a few hours every day. He catches a few fish, sells them to his friends, and enjoys spending the rest of the day with his wife and children, and napping. He couldn't imagine changing a thing in his relaxed and easy life.
A recent M.B.A. visits this island and quickly sees how this fisherman could become rich. He could catch more fish, start up a business, market the fish, open a cannery, maybe even issue an I.P.O. Ultimately he would become truly successful. He could donate some of his fish to hungry children worldwide and might even save lives.
"And then what?" asks the fisherman.
"Then you could spend lots of time with your family," replies the visitor. "Yet you would have made a difference in the world. You would have used your talents, and fed some poor children, instead of just lying around all day."