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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 partner 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."
When he had finished, there was a profound
silence. Then one of the students raised her hand
and with a puzzled __expression, 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."
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 partner 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."
When he had finished, there was a profound
silence. Then one of the students raised her hand
and with a puzzled __expression, 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."
