A professor stood before her Philosophy 101 class and had some items in front of
her. When the class began, wordlessly, she picked up a very large and empty
mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.
She then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. So the
professor picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. She shook the
jar lightly.
The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. She
then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
The professor then picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course,
the sand filled up everything else. She then asked once more if the jar was full.
The students responded with a unanimous - yes.
The professor then produced two cans of liquid chocolate from under the table
and proceeded to pour 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 spouse, your health, your children, your
friends, 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, your
car." "The sand is everything else - - the small stuff."
"If you put the sand into the jar first," she continued, "there is no room for the
pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for your 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.
"Take care of the golf balls first the things that really matter. Set your priorities.
The rest is just sand."
One student raised her hand and inquired what the chocolate 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 chocolate