--part1_96.4ee5ad2.26545a53_boundary
--part1_96.4ee5ad2.26545a53_boundary
Content-Disposition: inline
Return-path: <FastmetalBDF@aol.com>
From: FastmetalBDF@aol.com
Full-name: FastmetalBDF
Message-ID: <be.3fb17e8.26545129@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 15:46:49 EDT
Subject: Your Jar of Life
To: CShearer@dcmdw.dla.mil
MIME-Version: 1.0
X-Mailer: AOL 5.0 for Windows sub 106
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
over-achievers he said,
"Okay, time for a quiz."
He pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed Mason jar and set it on the table
in front of him. Then he 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 said, "Yes."
Then he said, "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 space between the big rocks.
Then he 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 beaver 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 this
illustration
teaches us is: 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? Your children;
Your loved ones; Your education; Your dreams; A worthy cause;
Teaching or mentoring others; Doing things that you love;
Time for yourself; Your health; Your significant other.
Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first or you'll never get them in at
all.
If you sweat the little stuff (the gravel, the sand) then you'll fill your
life with little things you worry about that don't really matter, and
you'll
never have the real quality time you need to spend on the big, important
stuff (the big rocks).
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, make sure you put those in your jar of life, first.
>>
--part1_96.4ee5ad2.26545a53_boundary--
|