05-31-2007, 06:34 PM
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 and had
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 agreed it
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 an unanimous "yes."
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
spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. 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."
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."
[guiness]
handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough,
remember the mayonnaise jar...and the beer.
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had
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 agreed it
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 an unanimous "yes."
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
spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. 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."
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."
[guiness]
