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*A Jar of Rocks 
Contributed by Ken Fussichen

A while back I was reading about an expert on subject of time
management. One day this expert was speaking to a group of
business students and, to drive home a point, used an
illustration I'm sure those students will never forget. After I
share it with you, you'll never forget it either.

As this man stood in front of the group of high-powered
overachievers he said, "Okay, time for a quiz."

Then he pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed mason jar and
set it on a 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. Then he dumped some gravel in and
shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down
into the spaces between the big rocks.

Then he smiled and asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?"
By this time the class was onto him. "Probably not," one of
them answered.

"Good!" he replied. And he reached under the table and brought
out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in and it
went into all 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. Then he looked up 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 into 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."

The title of this letter is The "Big Rocks" of Life. What are the
big rocks in your life? A project that YOU want to accomplish?
Time with your loved ones? Your faith, your education, your
finances? A cause? Teaching or mentoring others? Remember
to put these BIG ROCKS in first or you'll never get them in at
all.

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 or business? Then, put those in your jar.

 


 The Rainbow Garden