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 2 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 an 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 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.’
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 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.’