20-10-2004, 01:30 PM
The Mayonnaise Jar and Coffee
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 --- your God, your family, your children, your health,
your 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."
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 --- your God, your family, your children, your health,
your 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."
