365 Days in Aspen

The Mexican Fisherman, Part 2

carefulIn yesterday's blog, I shared the story of the Mexican Fisherman and how it was my response to a friend suggesting that I do something "grandiose" while here in Aspen. The moral of the story, of course, was that we have to look at our goals and see if the "grandiosity" of them might interfere with what we really want. And perhaps that we already have what we really want. 

As someone who's always strived (striven?) for lofty goals, this is a big lesson for me, especially given my history of not-quite meeting these goals. #understatement

I used to brag about never wanting to be "retired." What does that mean? Not doing anything worthwhile? Selfish indulgence? Or is it more about freedom to enjoy life? The Mexican Fisherman didn't intend to stop fishing. If he had, he'd needed to look for a way to save money to live another life. 

So here I am, living in a paradise with the opportunity to live my version of the lifestyle of the Mexican Fisherman: sleep until I feel like waking up, do what I enjoy most (write and create and invent) while enjoy the beautiful view until I can go outside and physically soak up the energy as I hike or ski or do some other outdoor activity in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. 

It's not that I don't still want to make a difference, but I don't need a fleet of fishing boats to be happy. 

I also know to be careful what you ask for. Every new addition to your life also adds complexity. And it usually also means giving up on something you now have that you might take for granted. So think about your life like the Mexican Fisherman. What do you enjoy?  What gives you pleasure? What are you really striving for? What are you willing to sacrifice to get that?