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 glasses of wine theory…
A professor stood before his philosophy class with some
items on his desk 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 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
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 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 glasses of wine 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; your family, your children, your health,
your friends, and your favorite passions; 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, 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 good 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 partner out to dinner. Play another 18 holes. Do one more
run down the ski slope. 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 wine 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 glasses of wine with a friend.”
