1. THE IMPORTANT THING IN LIFE
A philosophy professor stood
before his class with some items on the table in front of him. When the class
began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and
proceeded to fill it with rocks, about 2 inches in diameter.
He then asked the students if the
jar was full. They agreed that it was.
So the professor then picked up a
box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The
pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks.
He then asked the students again
if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
The professor picked up a box of
sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.
He then asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “Yes.”
He then asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “Yes.”
“Now,” said the professor, “I want
you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The rocks are the
important things – your family, your partner, your health, your children –
things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would
still be full.
The pebbles are the other things
that matter – like your job, your house, your car.
The sand is everything else. The
small stuff.”
“If you put the sand into the jar
first,” he continued “there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same
goes for your life.
If you spend all your time and
energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are
important to you. Pay attention to the things that
are critical to your happiness.
Play with your children. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be
time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal.
Take care of the rocks first – the
things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”
