kailashchhilar
April 23rd, 2004, 11:04 AM
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, God -- 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
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 beer represented.
The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked," he said.
"It just goes to show you that no matter how full
your life may seem, there's always room for a couple
of beers."
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, God -- 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
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 beer represented.
The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked," he said.
"It just goes to show you that no matter how full
your life may seem, there's always room for a couple
of beers."