A Parable About Wealth and Living in Costa Rica

People frequently ask me what originally drew me to Costa Rica, and what captured me so much that I decided to stay. The most succinct story that I read a while back, is from an unknown author. I’ll paraphrase it the best my memory allows.
The Gringo investment banker was at the pier of a small fishing village in Costa Rica when a little boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the boat were several large-fin tuna. The Gringo complimented the Costa Rican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

“Just a little while,” the Tico replied.

“Why don’t you stay out longer and catch more fish?” the Gringo asked.

“Here I have enough to support my family for today,” the Tico said.

“But what do you do with the rest of your time?”

“I sleep late, I fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, and stroll into the village each evening where I drink wine and play guitar with my friends.”

The Gringo couldn’t believe such a lax existence. “I’m a Harvard MBA,” he said. “I can help you. You should spend more time fishing and, with the profit, buy a bigger boat. With profits from the bigger boat, you could buy a whole fleet of fishing boats. Then, instead of selling to the middleman at the local market, you could sell directly to the processor, and eventually you could open a cannery and become the processor. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You’d have to leave this small village, of course, and move to Mexico City, then LA, and then New York City. You’d be the most prosperous fisherman in all of Costa Rica!”

The Tico asked, “How long will all this take?”

“Fifteen to twenty years,” replied the Gringo.

“And then what?”

The Gringo laughed a knowing laugh and said “That’s the best part! When the time is right, you’ll announce an IPO and sell all your company stock to the public. You’ll make millions!”

“Millions?” the Tico fisherman asked. “And then what?”

“Then you would retire, move to a small fishing village in Costa Rica where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a siesta with your wife, and stroll into the village each evening where you’d drink wine and play guitar with your friends.”

Author - Unknown