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Big Rocks
The busier you are, the more important to stop and read this
story. 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 he stood in front of the group of high-powered over
achievers, he said, "Okay, time for a quiz." He then pulled out a
one-gallon, wide-mouth masonry 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 by one, 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 this 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 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 the expert in time-management 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 this: 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? Your children. Your spouse. Your loved ones. Your
friendships. Your education. Your dreams. A worthy cause. Teaching or mentoring others. Doing things that you
love. Time for yourself. Your health. Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first, or you'll never get
them in at all. "If you sweat the little stuff (i.e. gravel, the
sand) then you'll fill your life with little things you will never have the real
quality time you need to spend on the big, important stuff (the big rocks). 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.
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