The Mayonnaise Jar and Beer
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 beer.
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 cans of beer 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 family, your children, your health, 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 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 spouse 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 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."
Author Unknown
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