A Lesson on Priority

 A colleague sent this to me and I thought it is meaningful to share ...

The Mayonnaise Jar

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly,

When things in your life seem, Almost too much to handle, when 24 Hours in a day is not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee.

He picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar



And proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students, If the jar was full.
They agreed that it was
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured

The professor next picked up a box of sand

them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly.
The pebbles rolled into the open Areas between the golf balls.
He then asked The students again
If the jar was full.. They agreed it was
And poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded
With an unanimous 'yes.'



The professor then produced Two cups of coffee from under the table

And poured the entire contents Into the jar, effectively
Filling the Empty space between the sand.
The students laughed.
'Now,' said the professor, As the laughter subsided,'I want you to recognize that This jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things - God, family,The sand is everything else --

The small stuff.
'If you put the sand into the jar first,' He continued,So...

children, health, Friends, and Favorite passions

Things that if everything else was lost
And only they remained, Your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter Like your job, house, and car.




'there is no room for The pebbles or the golf balls.
The same goes for life.

If you spend all your time And energy 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 partner out to dinner.
There will always be time

To clean the house and fix the disposal.
'Take care of the golf balls first --
The things that really matter.

Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.'

One of the students raised her hand
And inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled.

'I'm glad you asked'.

It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem,
there's always room for A couple of cups of coffee with a friend.'