Dear Abby,
Why do people still think watermelons, pecans and fish are free?
signed,
Frozen In a Shad Hole.
Dear FISH,
You can pick your friends, and you can pick your nose. But, you can't pick your friend's nose.
Mindsets go with minds. Simple mindsets are based on simple thinking.
Watermelons, pecans and fish all have one thing in common. They grow, they need to be harvested.
The man who created "catch and release" fishing is a friend of mine. Ray Scott, founder of BASS, is the one credited with catch and release fishing. But, he will be first to tell you catch and release is a tool. He looked me in the eye and said, "You have to remove bass from a lake." I asked his opinion about how many to take...here's what he said, "Take all the small bass you can. When you are afraid you have taken too many, take out as many more as you have already taken."
Go fishing with your friend, but don't go hunting. With weapons, one of you may not come out of the woods.
A pond is like a garden. Would you plant 50 rows of tomatoes, and not take any? Same with a pond.
Harvest is a tool. Catch and release is a tool. Fish are tools. Fertilizer, feeding..tools. Use the right tools, and fish thrive. Leave out a critical tool, failure.
Don't worry about those who won't listen to you. Move on to better clientele. Chances are you will work for highly successful people, experts in their own fields, who understand the value of your expertise.
And, for those people who won't follow your recommendations, do it for them and send a bill. Their lake will improve, and you can buy new shoes for the kids, or a new collar for your lab. And, everyone smiles.
