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

He then asked the students again if the jar was
full. They agreed it was.

The professor picked up a box of sand and
poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled
up the remaining open areas of the jar.

He then asked once more if the jar was full. The
students responded with a unanimous “Yes.”

“Now,” said the professor, “I want you to
recognize that this jar represents your life. The
rocks are the important things – your family,
your partner, your health, your children – 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, your house, 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 rocks. The same goes for your 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 your partner out
dancing. There will always be time to go to work,
clean the house, give a dinner party, or fix the
disposal.”

“Take care of the rocks first – the things that
really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just
sand.”
Author Unknown