Rocks or Sand ?

Author:

 

 

A philosophy professor stood before his class, and had some items
in front of him. When class began, wordlessly he picked up a large
empty mayonnaise jar, and proceeded to fill it with rocks, rocks about 2"
in diameter.

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, of course, rolled into the
open areas between the rocks. The students laughed.

The professor picked up a box of sand, and poured it into the jar.
Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

"Now," said the professor, "I want you to recognize that this is
your life. The rocks are the important things --- your marriage, your
your children --- anything that is so important to you that if it
were lost, you would be nearly destroyed.

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, there is no room for the
 pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life.
 
 If you spend all your energy and time 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  loved one out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, and  wax  the car, and give a dinner party, and fix the disposal.
 
 "Take care of the rocks first -- the things that really matter.
 Set  your priorities. The rest is just sand."