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 this man 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 a 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 spaces 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 and it went into all 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 up 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 into 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? Time with your loved ones? Your faith, your
education, your dreams? A worthy cause teaching or mentoring others? Remember to put these
BIG ROCKS in first or you'll never get them in at all. 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 or business? Then, put those in your jar first.
Work like you don't need the money. Love like it will never
hurt. Dance like nobody's watching.
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