One Thing Happy People Do

From flickr

I recently asked my customers to answer a few questions about their experiences with my book, Color Your Life Happy. Here are responses that customer Billie Horowitz, was kind enough to share:

What motivated you to purchase Color Your Life Happy?

I have been on a journey to a more fulfilling life for a very long time and the title of your book has been inspirational. Each book I read brings me closer to understanding myself.

What life lesson have you learned or change have you made as a result of reading my book?

Your book has reinforced my belief that I am on the right path to the experiences I want to experience.

Who seems to the ideal kind of person to benefit from my book?

Those who are looking for “Who Am I” and have not quite figured out it’s an inside job!

What is your favorite feature of my book?

My favorite feature is Chapter Five “Simplifying Life” Page 110 -111. This story is a perfect example of allowing other people [to] dictate what life is best for you when you already have what you want or need.

=========

Here is the story Billie refers to from Chapter 5 of Color Your Life Happy. It is similar in spirit to the philosophy of the Chinese philosopher, Chuang Tzu.

An American tourist stood at the pier of a small coastal Mexican
village and watched as a small boat with just one fisherman docked.

Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The tourist
complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his catch
and asked how long it had taken to catch them.

The fisherman replied, “Only a little while.”

The tourist asked, “Then why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more fish?”

The Mexican said, “With this, I have more than enough to support my family’s needs.”

The tourist asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”

The fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, Maria, and stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life.”

The tourist scoffed.

“ I can help you. You should spend more time fishing and use the proceeds to 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 could sell directly to the processor and open your own cannery. Then you would control the product, processing and distribution.

You could leave this small village and move to Mexico City, then to Los Angeles and eventually to New York, where you
could run your ever-expanding enterprise.”

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

The tourist replied, “Fifteen to twenty years.”

“But what then?” asked the Mexican.

The tourist laughed and said, “That’s the best part. When the time is right you would 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 a siesta with your wife and stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos.”