svengali
Foundation Member
- Points
- 3
O.K., I pinched this from another site I visit but I really like it so here it is...
One day an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business
students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration those students will
never forget. As this stood in front of the group of high powered overachievers
he said, "Okay, time for a quiz." Then he pulled out a one-gallon, wide
mouth mason jar and set it on the table in front of him. Then he produced
about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time,
into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit
inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?" Everyone in the class said, "Yes."
Then he said, "Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a
bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar
causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the space
between the big rocks. Then he asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?"
By this time the class was on to him. "Probably not," one of them answered.
"Good!" he replied. He reached under the table and brought out a bucket
of sand. He started dumping the sand in the jar and it went into all of the
spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the
question, "Is this jar full?" "No!" the class shouted. Once again he said,
"Good." Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until
the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked at the class and asked,
"What is the point of this illustration?" One eager beaver raised his hand
and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try
really hard you can always fit some more things in it!"
"No," the speaker replied, "that's not the point. The truth this illustration
teaches us is: If you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them
in at all." What are the 'big rocks' in your life? Time with your loved ones?
Your faith, your education, your dreams? A worthy cause? Teaching or
mentoring others? Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first or you'll
never get them in at all. So, tonight, or in the morning, when you are
reflecting on this short story, ask yourself this question: What are the
'big rocks' in my life? Then, put those in your jar first.
----- Author unknown
One day an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business
students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration those students will
never forget. As this stood in front of the group of high powered overachievers
he said, "Okay, time for a quiz." Then he pulled out a one-gallon, wide
mouth mason jar and set it on the table in front of him. Then he produced
about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time,
into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit
inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?" Everyone in the class said, "Yes."
Then he said, "Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a
bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar
causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the space
between the big rocks. Then he asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?"
By this time the class was on to him. "Probably not," one of them answered.
"Good!" he replied. He reached under the table and brought out a bucket
of sand. He started dumping the sand in the jar and it went into all of the
spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the
question, "Is this jar full?" "No!" the class shouted. Once again he said,
"Good." Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until
the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked at the class and asked,
"What is the point of this illustration?" One eager beaver raised his hand
and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try
really hard you can always fit some more things in it!"
"No," the speaker replied, "that's not the point. The truth this illustration
teaches us is: If you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them
in at all." What are the 'big rocks' in your life? Time with your loved ones?
Your faith, your education, your dreams? A worthy cause? Teaching or
mentoring others? Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first or you'll
never get them in at all. So, tonight, or in the morning, when you are
reflecting on this short story, ask yourself this question: What are the
'big rocks' in my life? Then, put those in your jar first.
----- Author unknown
