When things in 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 wordlessly picked up a
very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf
balls. He then asked his students if the jar was full. They agreed it
was.
Next, the professor poured a box of pebbles into the jar, and shook it
lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.
He then asked his students again if the jar was full. They agreed it
was.
The professor next took 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 produced two cans of beer from under the table and poured
the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the space between
the sand. The students laughed.
“Now,” said the professor, as the laughter subsided, “I want you to
recognise that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the
important things – your family, your friends, your health, your
favourite passions – things that if everything else were 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 – they are
things you like. The sand is everything else – the small stuff.”
“If you put the sand in the jar first,” he continued, “there would be no
room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for your 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 the time to look after your health. Take your spouse out to dinner.
Ring your parents. There will always be time to clean the house and fix
those odd jobs. Take care of the golf balls first, the things that
really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just pebbles and sand.”
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer
represented. The professor smiled. “I’m glad you asked. It goes to show
that no matter how full your life may seem, there is always room for a
couple of beers.”
the early years 