The Mayonnaise Jar
Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2010 6:16 pmThe Mayonnaise Jar
When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day
is not enough; remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of 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 started to fill it with golf balls.
He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured it 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 an 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 - God, family, children, health, friends, and
favorite passions. Things that if everything else was lost and only they remained,
your life would still be full.
The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and 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.
So...
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.
There will always be time to clean the house and fix the dripping tap.
'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.'
Please share this with other "Golf Balls."
When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day
is not enough; remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of 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 started to fill it with golf balls.
He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured it 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 an 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 - God, family, children, health, friends, and
favorite passions. Things that if everything else was lost and only they remained,
your life would still be full.
The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and 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.
So...
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.
There will always be time to clean the house and fix the dripping tap.
'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.'
Please share this with other "Golf Balls."
