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.”
