Happy Island

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A successful businessman went on vacation to Saipan on doctor’s orders to lower his blood pressure by getting away from his stress-filled life. One morning he was awakened by an urgent phone call from the office and he couldn’t go back to sleep so he took an early morning walk along the beach. A small boat with just one local fisherman had just come ashore. He saw that the fisherman had a successful morning and complimented him on his catch. “How long did it take you to catch those fish?”

“Only a few hours,” replied the fisherman.

“Well, why don’t you stay out longer so you can catch more fish and make more money?”

The fisherman said, as he unloaded them into a cooler: “I have enough to sell and make some money, and the rest will be enjoyed by my family and friends.”

“What do you do with the rest of your day?” asked the businessman.

“I take a long nap, get up and play with the kids, then in the evening my family and I spend time with close friends talking, singing, laughing and enjoying the catch I made today along with the food they bring. I have a full and happy life.”

The businessman thought for a moment and then stood tall before saying: “I have started several successful businesses, so let me share with you how you can maximize your earnings and become more successful. First, spend more time fishing so you can earn enough money to buy a bigger boat to catch more fish. Next invest your money into a fleet of fishing vessels, and instead of selling your catch to a middleman open a cannery so you can sell directly to consumers and export your fish to other countries. You can then move to Hawaii as your enterprise expands its range of fishing to other locations.”

“But, how long will this all take?” asked the fisherman.

“Oh, probably 15-20 years, but then you will be positioned to grow your corporation through an initial public offering to sell stock in your business so that you can buy better ships, facilities, and expand your distribution. In another five years you could retire with millions in the bank.

“Wow, a millionaire! But, then what would I do?” asked the fisherman.
“Then you could spend your time fishing, taking long naps, playing with your grandkids, and enjoy your evenings with your friends and family talking, singing, and laughing…”

This story illustrates what is really important in life and how many people run after the success rainbow to realize that their ideal life was put on hold while they chased their dream. One of the things I’ve enjoyed about living on Saipan is that people here know how to live in the moment. The pace is much slower than in other countries and it often takes longer to get things done because of the lack of urgency, but the tradeoff is a more enjoyable lifestyle.

Before we moved here I was working on a concept and manual that I called the Accelerated Marketing Process. This was going to be the foundation for a consulting and licensing business that was going to make me rich. I became a business instructor at the college because I felt the breaks and summer would allow me more time to finish my manual so I could then make my mark in the world.

Well, 14 years and four kids later my family and I are still enjoying the lifestyle that Saipan offers. I didn’t find my riches in the pot at the end of the rainbow, but I’ve had a wonderful journey that I wouldn’t want to change. This is a great place to raise a family and meet some wonderful people. I’ve tried to make a positive difference at the college and in the community, and writing this weekly column for the last eight years is one way that I’ve tried to share some ideas that I hope are useful on a personal and business level.

One of my concerns is that our happy existence will continue to be shaken as the world situation continues to impact our economy. How will this affect jobs, business growth, retirees and the financial stability of the CNMI? Will bringing casinos to Saipan and legalizing marijuana be the answer to our economic woes? Or will it only create more problems and negatively impact our lifestyle? Many questions and not enough answers. However, I believe that committed leadership toward a shared vision is the only sustainable solution. That entails four key elements:
1) an exciting vision that is shared by the major groups that call Saipan home;
2) a workable strategic plan that outlines the blueprint for action;
3) commitment to the vision and plan by all key stakeholders and entities that can make the vision a reality; and the most important is
4) committed leadership that oversees the work that needs to be done from start to finish and keeps everyone committed throughout the process.

This will lay a foundation for us to continue to not only realize more revenue, but improve the quality of life for us and our children’s children so that we can continue to spend time playing with the kids, and enjoy the evenings with friends and family talking, singing, and laughing.