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When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in
a day are not enough, remember the lesson of the mayonnaise jar and the
two beers:
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front
of him.
When the class began, he wordlessly 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.
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 a unanimous ‘yes.’
The professor then produced two Beers 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 and your favorite passions-—and
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
and 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.
Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with
grandparents. 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 and said, ‘I’m glad you asked.’
The Beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem,
there’s always room for a couple of Beers with a friend.
a day are not enough, remember the lesson of the mayonnaise jar and the
two beers:
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front
of him.
When the class began, he wordlessly 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.
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 a unanimous ‘yes.’
The professor then produced two Beers 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 and your favorite passions-—and
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
and 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.
Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with
grandparents. 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 and said, ‘I’m glad you asked.’
The Beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem,
there’s always room for a couple of Beers with a friend.
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