PERSPECTIVE

the mayonaise jar and golf balls story

a lecturer was standing in front of his class of students holding up a large, empty mayonaise jar. On his desk were a number of golf balls. he placed them in the jar until no more would fit and said to the class " is the jar full? "
The students nodded and some said " yes. "
The lecturer then took a paper bag from his desk drawer and poured the contents, small pebbles, into the jar, shaking it so the pebbles filled the gaps amongst the golf balls. He then said " now is it full? "
Some students laughed and they nodded and agreed it was now full.
The lecturer then took another bag from his desk drawer and poured the contents, fine sand, into the jar amongst the pebbles and golf balls shaking the jar to make sure the gaps were filled. Then he said again " is the jar full now? "
The students were all laughing now, and nodding, as the lecturer reached under the desk and brought out a cup of coffee which he then poured into the jar whereupon it sank into the sand.
The students were in fits.
When things settled down the lecturer said " the mayonaise jar represents your life. It's up to you how you fill it. The golf balls represent the most important things or people, your home and close relatives and best friends. the pebbles are other things that are important to you, like hobbies and other people you like or maybe your work. The sand represents everything else that gets in the way and stops you spending enough time with or on the important people in your life or the things you want to do. if you don't prioritise you will not get the balance right. If I had put the sand in first the pebbles would not have fitted, never mind the golf balls.
One student said " what about the coffee? "
The lecturer said " that says no matter how busy or full your life is, you must always make time for a coffee with your close friends. "