BIG ROCKS

One day, an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students, and to drive home a point, used an illustration those students will never forget. Here is how he made his point: As he stood in front of the group of high-powered achievers, he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time into a 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 in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks. Then he asked the group once more, "Is this jar full?"
By this time, the class was onto him. "Probably not," one of them answered. "Good," he replied. 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 picture of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brin. Then he looked up at the class and asked, "What is the point of this full illustration?"
One eager bearer raised his hand and said, "The point is,no matter how full your schedule is, if you really try hard, you can fit some more things into it."
"No," the speaker replied. "That is not the point."
The truth this illustration teaches us is, if you don't put the big rocks first, you'll never get them in at all."
What are the big rocks in your life?
Time with your loved ones? Your faith? Your education? Your dreams? A worthy cause?
Remember to put these 'big rocks' 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? Then put those in your jar first.