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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 the remaining open areas of the jar.
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, or fix the
disposal.”
“Take
care of the rocks first – the things that really matter. Set your priorities.
The rest is just sand.”
