A philosophy professor stood before his class and had some items in front of him. When class began, wordlessly he picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks right to the top, rocks about 2 inches in diameter. 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. 1. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks. He asked his 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. 2. “Now,” said the professor, “I want you to recognize that this is your life. The rocks are the important things — your family, your partner, your health, and your children. 3. The pebbles are the other things in life that matter, but on a smaller scale.w The pebbles represent things like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else. The small stuff. If you put the sand or the pebbles into the jar first,” he continued “there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks.
4. If you spend all your energy and time on the small stuff, material things, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. 5. Play with your children. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal. Take care of the rocks first – the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just pebbles and sand.”