A professor stood before his
Philosophy 101 class with some items in front of him and when the class
began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and
proceeded to fill it with golf balls.Â
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 golf balls.
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He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They all agreed that
it was. The professor then 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 the entire contents in to the jar effectively
filling the empty space between the sand.
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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 partner,
your health, your children, your friends, your favorite passions - things
that if everything else were to be 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, there is no room for the pebbles or the golf
balls."
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. Play another 18. There will always be time to go to work,
clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal."
"Take care of the golf balls 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!!   Â
