Where Do Your Priorities Fit?
An expert in time management was speaking to a group of business
students when he decided to do an experiment. He pulled out a
large mason jar, a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed
them, one by one, into the jar. When no more rocks would fit
inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?" Everyone in the class
said, "Yes."
He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel.
The instructor then poured gravel in the jar, shook it and
asked, "Is this jar full? " By this time the class was on to
him. They replied: "Probably not,"
Next, he reached under the table and brought out a bucket of
sand. He started dumping the sand in the jar until all the space
between the rocks was filled. Once more, he asked the question.
"Is this jar full?" "No" the class shouted.
Finally, he grabbed a pitcher of water and poured until the jar
was filled to the brim. The speaker looked at the class and
asked, "What is the point of this illustration?" The speaker
listened to a number of very good responses and said: "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? Are they your spouse,
children and grandchildren? Are they your work, television or
gambling? Are you wasting time with things that are unimportant?
What is important in your life?