One day, an expert in time management was speaking to a group of
business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration
those
students will never forget. As he stood in front of the group of
high-powered overachievers he said, "Okay, time for a quiz." Then
he pulled out a one-gallon,wide-mouthed Mason jar and set it on the
table
in front of him. Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and
carefully placed them,one at a time, into the jar. When the jar was
filled
to the top and no more rocks would fit inside,he asked, "Is this jar
full?"
Everyone in the class said, "Yes." Then he said,"Really?"
He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he
dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to
work themselves down into the space between the big rocks.
Then he asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?"
By this time the class was on to him. "Probably not," one of them
answered.
Good!" he replied. He reached under the table and brought out a
bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in the jar and it
went into all of the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel.
Once
more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?"
"No!" the class shouted.
Once again he said, "Good." Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and
began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim.Then he looked
at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?"
One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter
how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit
some more things in it!"
"No," the speaker replied, "that's not the point.
The truth this illustration teaches us is -- if you don't put the big
rocks
in first, you'll never get them in at all." What are the 'big rocks' in
your
life? Your children; your loved ones; your education; your dreams; a
worthy
cause; teaching or mentoring others; doing things that you love; time
for yourself; your health; your significant other. Remember to put
these
BIG ROCKS in first or you'll never get them in at all. If you sweat the
little
stuff (the gravel,the sand) then you'll fill your life with little
things
you worry about that don't really matter, and you'll never have the
real
quality time you need to spend on the big, important stuff (the big
rocks)."
So, tonight, or in the morning, when you are reflecting on this
short story, ask yourself this question: What are the 'big rocks' in my
life?
Then, put those in your jar first.
Is it a bit too long ..... ?
But isn't it nice.
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