Mayo Jar And Two Cups Of Coffee

Mayo Jar and 2 Cups of Coffee

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

A professor stood before his philosophy class and
had some items in front of him. When the class began,
he wordlessly 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 wasfull. They
agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and
poured 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 that it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand 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 a 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, your
family, your children, your health, your friends and
your favorite passions--and 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, your house and your car. The sand is everything
else--the small stuff."

If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "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 spouse out to dinner.
Play another 18. 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."

Author Unknown