The order of things makes a difference

One day an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students, and to drive home a point he decided to use a visual illustration.

 

As he stood in front of this group of high-powered over-achievers he said, "Okay time for a quiz".

 

He then pulled out a one gallon, wide mouthed mason jar, and set it on the table in front of him.

 

He then produced about a dozen large rocks and carefully placed them one at a time inside of the jar.

 

When the jar was filled to the top, and no more rocks could fit, in he asked the question, "Is the jar full"?

 

Everyone in the class yelled, "Yes".

 

To which he replied, "Really"?

 

He then reached under the table and pulled out a bucket full of gravel. He then proceeded to dump the gravel into the jar and as he did so he shook the jar, causing the small pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks. When the jar was filled to the top, and no more sand could fit, in he asked the group one more time, "Is the jar full"?

 

By this time the group had caught onto what was happening and someone replied, "Probably not".

 

"Good" he replied, and once more reached under the table, this time bringing out bucket of sand. He then began to dump the sand into the jar, again shaking it as he did so until the small grains of sand had filled in all of the spaces between the big rocks and the gravel.

 

Once more he asked the question, "Is the jar full"?

 

"No" they all replied.

 

Once again he pronounced their answer correct.

 

He then reached under the desk once more, and this time he pulled out a pitcher of water, and he then poured the water into the jar until it was full to the brim. Then he looked at the class and he asked them, "What is the point of this demonstration"?

 

To which one student replied, "The point is that no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit one more thing in."

 

"No" said the teacher, "That is not the point at all. The truth this illustration teaches us, is that if you do not put all of the big rocks in first, you will never get them in at all".

 

So what are the "big rocks" in your life? Your loved ones, your faith, your education, your dreams, a worthy cause, teaching or mentoring others?

 

What ever they are, please remember to always be sure and put those things first in your life, otherwise you may find in the end that you have no room for them at all.

 

Remember

Your time on earth is limited,

so use it wisely.

Part the clouds - see the way.

 

"The objective of karate-do is to contribute to the evolution

of the human spirit through physical and mental training."

Sensei Peter Lindsay

 

©1995-2012 Peter Lindsay - All rights reserved.