some items 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, rocks about 2" 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 an unanimous --yes.
The professor then produced two cans of beer from
under the table and proceeded to pour their entire
contents into the jar -- effectively filling the empty
space between the sand.
The students laughed.
"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided,
"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 time to
get medical checkups. 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."
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what
the beer represented.
The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just
goes to show you that no matter how full your life may
seem, there's always room for a couple of beers."
