A professor stood before his Philosophy 101 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, of course, rolled into the
open spaces between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the
jar was full.
They agreed it was.
The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of
course, the sand filled up everything else. He then asked once more if the jar
was full.
The students agreed with a unanimous ??yes!
The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and
proceeded to pour the entire contents in to the jar effectively filling
the empty
space between the sand.
The students laughed.
"Now," the professor said, 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 partner, 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," he 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. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups.
Take your partner out dancing. Play another 18 holes. There will
always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party 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. It just goes to show you
that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of
beers!!!"
