It's all about the rocks...
My business partner has a little boy who loves cars. I have a little boy who doesn't care so much for them, consequently we have a box full of unused, unloved, untouched toy cars, so I decided to give them away. As I emptied the cars into a shoe box, and then tried to shove the motorbike with launching pad toy in as well, it became obvious that there wasn't enough room. I remembered a story I had read about a jar, some rocks and some pebbles where the theory was that you put the big things into the jar first and then the smaller stuff in order to make everything fit. It was a theory I'd known for a while but had never tried it out, so I set out to disprove it. There was no way I was going to get it all in...
...but I did.
First thing to go in was the launching pad and the little motorcycles and then, miraculously, there was oodles of room left for the little cars. In fact there was more than enough room---I could have added more toys to the box had I had more to give. The theory was right, and, knowing me, I had to somehow apply it to my own life and began to wonder what my big rocks were and what my little pebbles were and then examine whether or not I was filling my jar in the right sequence. Was I putting my family first? How about my relationship with my Hubby? My parents? How about my career--was I putting forth a good effort? What about my relationship with Diety--was I honoring that? Was I giving my friends the very best of me, or the left overs? After that little introspection I realized that most of my items to go into the jar were large rocks and not very many pebbles. What are my pebbles? I don't know. Could it be exercise? Eating right? Travel? Skiing? Gosh, those all seem like rocks to me...
Anyway, the introspection continues. Some of my rocks were defined when I set my yearly goals and put pictures of them on my vision board but since then I've found additional things that are worthy of my time and energy.
I need more hours in the day. More days in the year. And...
...a bigger jar for all my rocks!!
In case you're not away of the story/theory/philosophy, here it is:
A professor of philosophy stood before his class with some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks about two inches in diameter. He then asked the students if the jar was full.
They agreed that it was full.
So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly and watched as the pebbles rolled into the open areas between the rocks. The professor then asked the students again if the jar was full.
They chuckled and agreed that it was indeed full this time.
The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. The sand filled the remaining open areas of the jar. "Now," said the professor, "I want you to recognize that this jar signifies your life. The rocks are the truly important things, such as family, health and relationships. If all else was lost and only the rocks remained, your life would still be meaningful. The pebbles are the other things that matter in your life, such as work or school. The sand signifies the remaining "small stuff" and material possessions.
If you put sand into the jar first, there is no room for the rocks or the pebbles. The same can be applied to your lives. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are truly important.
Pay attention to the things in life that are critical to your happiness and well-being. Take time to get medical check-ups, play with your children, go for a run, write your grandmother a letter. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, or fix the disposal. Take care of the rocks first - things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just pebbles and sand...
What are your rocks? Your pebbles?
...but I did.
First thing to go in was the launching pad and the little motorcycles and then, miraculously, there was oodles of room left for the little cars. In fact there was more than enough room---I could have added more toys to the box had I had more to give. The theory was right, and, knowing me, I had to somehow apply it to my own life and began to wonder what my big rocks were and what my little pebbles were and then examine whether or not I was filling my jar in the right sequence. Was I putting my family first? How about my relationship with my Hubby? My parents? How about my career--was I putting forth a good effort? What about my relationship with Diety--was I honoring that? Was I giving my friends the very best of me, or the left overs? After that little introspection I realized that most of my items to go into the jar were large rocks and not very many pebbles. What are my pebbles? I don't know. Could it be exercise? Eating right? Travel? Skiing? Gosh, those all seem like rocks to me...
Anyway, the introspection continues. Some of my rocks were defined when I set my yearly goals and put pictures of them on my vision board but since then I've found additional things that are worthy of my time and energy.
I need more hours in the day. More days in the year. And...
...a bigger jar for all my rocks!!
In case you're not away of the story/theory/philosophy, here it is:
A professor of philosophy stood before his class with some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks about two inches in diameter. He then asked the students if the jar was full.
They agreed that it was full.
So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly and watched as the pebbles rolled into the open areas between the rocks. The professor then asked the students again if the jar was full.
They chuckled and agreed that it was indeed full this time.
The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. The sand filled the remaining open areas of the jar. "Now," said the professor, "I want you to recognize that this jar signifies your life. The rocks are the truly important things, such as family, health and relationships. If all else was lost and only the rocks remained, your life would still be meaningful. The pebbles are the other things that matter in your life, such as work or school. The sand signifies the remaining "small stuff" and material possessions.
If you put sand into the jar first, there is no room for the rocks or the pebbles. The same can be applied to your lives. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are truly important.
Pay attention to the things in life that are critical to your happiness and well-being. Take time to get medical check-ups, play with your children, go for a run, write your grandmother a letter. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, or fix the disposal. Take care of the rocks first - things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just pebbles and sand...
What are your rocks? Your pebbles?
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