A businessman is on vacation on an island; walking on the beach, he comes across a middle-aged man sitting next to a very small rusty boat.
- What do you do?
- Right now I'm not doing anything; sometimes I fish.
- So you're a fisherman?
- If you want to call it that.
- Why aren't you fishing now?
- As I'm sure you'd put it, I have reached my daily quota.
- What's your quota?
- One fish a day. At most. Some days I don't catch any.
- One. Fish. A. Day?? You can't make a living with one fish per day! Where do you even go to sell just one fish??!?
- I don't sell it. I eat it.
The businessman stays silent for a while, watching the man watching the sea. Then he says
- Listen, I'm a businessman. Don't you want to hear some advice about how to grow your business?
- Shoot.
- First, you should make it your goal to catch as much fish as possible, every day. There must be a market somewhere on this island where you could sell it?
- There is. 2 miles from here.
- Okay, great. You catch a lot of fish, you walk to the market, you sell the fish, keeping some for your own consumption if you wish.
- And then?
- And then, with the money you buy a net. A net will let you catch so much more fish at once.
- And then?
- And then you catch more fish, you sell more fish, you make more money. With the money, you can buy a better boat.
- Better in what sense?
- Bigger, nicer -- better looking! And with that boat you'll be able to catch even more fish.
- Oh. And then what?
- Then you make even more money, and you can save it.
- Save it?
- After your expenses are paid, you keep the extra money; after a while you'll have lots of money.
- And what do I do with that money?
- Once you have enough money, you'll be able to retire! You won't have to work anymore!
Now it's time for the fisherman to think. He stares at his feet for a while and says
- But I'm not working right now.