When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day
are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar ... and the beer.
A Professor stood before his philosophy class with 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 golf balls. 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 rolled into the open areas between the
golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They were not
as sure by now, but most said it probably was.
The Professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of
course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was
full. The students responded with a unanimous "Maybe."
The Professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and poured
the 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 golf balls are the important things - your family, your children, your
health, your friends, your favorite passions - 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 golf balls. The same goes for 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 to dinner. Play another game. There will always be time to clean the
house, and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first, the things that
really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."
When he had finished, there was a profound silence. Then one of the students
raised her hand and with a puzzled expression, inquired what the beer
represented.
The Professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It's just there to show you that no
matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers."
😀
are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar ... and the beer.
A Professor stood before his philosophy class with 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 golf balls. 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 rolled into the open areas between the
golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They were not
as sure by now, but most said it probably was.
The Professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of
course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was
full. The students responded with a unanimous "Maybe."
The Professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and poured
the 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 golf balls are the important things - your family, your children, your
health, your friends, your favorite passions - 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 golf balls. The same goes for 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 to dinner. Play another game. There will always be time to clean the
house, and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first, the things that
really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."
When he had finished, there was a profound silence. Then one of the students
raised her hand and with a puzzled expression, inquired what the beer
represented.
The Professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It's just there to show you that no
matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers."
😀
