Hi, reader!
For the Apple users out there: I recently discovered a useful setting for FaceTime. When you want your voice to be heard clearly in a FaceTime call and other sounds filtered out, you can turn on Voice Isolation mode. This mode prioritizes your voice in a FaceTime call and blocks out other noise. During a FaceTime call, open Control Center, tap Mic Mode, then select Voice Isolation.
With that, welcome to the 43rd newsletter! This one is all about enough.
A 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 boat were several large fish. 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. 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, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine, and play guitar with my friends. 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 friends.”
A thought.
One of the hardest things to do is to stop the goal posts from moving.
More clothes.
A fancier car.
A bigger house.
More stuff.
Do you have enough?
A quote.
“He who knows that enough is enough will always have enough.”
- Lao Tzu
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Looking for more? You can read the first 42 editions here.
Build with Clay #43: Enough
Re-reading this post today. This topic on "Enough" reminds me of the concept of being present. It is drawn from a 2003 publication by Spencer Johnson entitled "The Present". Check it out Clay. Would be interesting to have you generate a post from his book-concept. It continues to be applicable today and perhaps increasingly relevant in a world of social media and skewed impressions.