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 coffee…
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 a unanimous “yes.”
The professor then produced two cups
of coffee 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 – God, family, your children, health, friends,
and 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, 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. Play
with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your
partner 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 coffee 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 cups
of coffee with a friend.”
