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 overachievers he said, “Okay, time for a quiz?”, and he pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouth Mason jar and set it on the table in front of him.
He also produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, 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 yelled, Yes! The time management expert replied, “Really?”. He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. He dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks.
He then asked the group once more, “Is the 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 of 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.
He looked at the class and asked, “What is the point of this illustration?” One eager student 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 is, this illustration teaches us that 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, time with your loved ones, your faith, your education, your dreams, a worthy cause, teaching or mentoring others. Remember to put these ‘big rocks’ in first or you’ll never get them in at all.”
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.
9 comments:
@SG...sorry for not updating my blog...was busy with personal works...:))
:P I have been very regular few blogs like yours so without knowing your situation i commented sorry ji.
Excellent write up. i need to find big rocks ji. its time for a change. :)
@SG..yes.. find them and put them in the JAR...:)
Very meaningful story mami....too good. ..very thoughtful. ..;);)
Very meaningful and thoughtful mami...;);)
yes. the big rocks should be put in the jar first. Sometimes we find the rocks too heavy that we try to lift them, and unable to bear the weight. put them down. But I gather that at such times we should atleast ask someone's help to lift them and put them in the jar. Sometimes our ego, unwilling to accept someone's help, forces us to put those rocks by the wayside, or dump them in the godown to disappear into oblivion. Finally we are left with a half-filled jar, and along with that an uncontented mind. God! PlEASE GIVE ME THE STRENGTH TO LIFT THOSE HEAVY ONES OR ATLEAST GIVE ME THE PRESENCE OF MIND TO CRUSH THOSE ROCKS TO MANAGEABLE SIZE!
SUSTAINING THE WORKLOAD IS THE REAL TEST!!!
Prabha, i liked this very much.
very true! Most of the time I find that I remember those heavy ones put behind me in life at a very late stage...
@Swats...thank u dear...
@KS Time doesnt wait for anyone...whether .. heavy ones or smaller ones...find time and put it in the jar...
...BETTER LATE THAN NEVER...
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