The Mayonnaise Jar
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 two cups of coffee.
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.
When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and fills 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 it 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.
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, family,
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 things that matter like your job, house, and car. The sand is everything else -- the small stuff.” he said.
“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...” he told them.
“So... pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Worship with your family. Play with your children. Take your partner out to dinner. Spend time with good friends. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the dripping tap. 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 and said, “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.”
Please share this with other "Golf Balls"
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 two cups of coffee.
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.
When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and fills 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 it 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.
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, family,
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 things that matter like your job, house, and car. The sand is everything else -- the small stuff.” he said.
“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...” he told them.
“So... pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Worship with your family. Play with your children. Take your partner out to dinner. Spend time with good friends. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the dripping tap. 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 and said, “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.”
Please share this with other "Golf Balls"
You may have already seen this on facebook considering it has almost 19,000 shares. I really love this and I enjoyed this read this morning, and I hope you will too. He put it perfectly. I absolutely LOVE this. It is amazing what one can do and realize when you think about it. So many people want that job and that car and that house....because in all actuality you need a job to pay for that car and that house.
I ran across this the other day and I was like hmmm...that is really disheartening. I am quite sure it said something different but it is okay..this is
how I remember it.
"You work at trying to have the life you want and you spend most your time working to have that life instead of enjoying the life you just spent your life working for."
Luckily, I am a SAHM right now. I plan to go back to work when my son starts school in August. However, before I was a SAHM and my husband was at a lower position than he is now...we both worked and worked and barely got time with one another or as a family. Struggling trying to make ends meet and it causes stress and just makes for a unhappy life. It is a sad thing to work your life away. Not all people have to but many do. Sometimes it is who you know. Going to school does not always get you that career you wanted. Just depends on the possibilities you have or make in front of you.
“ God, family, children, health, friends, and favorite passions. Things, that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full."
-These particular thing are very important to me. All of these things make me who I am. Without God I would not have a family, good health or the will for a passion for the things I do. I wouldn't be much of a person....just a shell of a being. Sorry...getting too deep. : )
The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and car. The sand is everything else -- the small stuff.” Small things, but without them you wouldn't survive unless you go through the necessary steps to educate yourself on surviving off of the land. That just doesn't really happen....they should teach in school as a required course for all students. Material things and waste....my job as a parent to teach my children a better way.
“If you put the sand into the jar first,” “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...” Puts it into perspective....<3. Priorities!
“So... pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Worship with your family. Play with your children. Take your partner out to dinner. Spend time with good friends. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the dripping tap. Take care of the golf balls first -- the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”
"No matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.” Good point! :)
Okay, I am done...I really do not like to talk about deeper things here on the ole blog, but I do like for you guys to know me on a little bit of a deeper level.
Anything interesting you would like to add? I would love to hear your thoughts.