What are the important things in life?
How do you know what they are?
How do you find happiness?
You may have herded the following story. Nevertheless, please read it again and think about once again – what are your priorities in life. I believe this inspirational story told in metaphor holds a very important message regarding appropriately setting priorities in our lives.
So, here it is:
A teacher wanted to teach his students about priorities in life – about managing your time and the most important things in life.
He stood before his class with some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a large empty jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks.
He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was full.
So the teacher then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He watched as the pebbles rolled into the open areas between the rocks. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. Kids laughed and agreed that it was indeed full this time.
He picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. The sand filled the remaining open areas of the jar.
“Now, what about now” he asked kids? I want you to recognize that this jar signifies your life, ” he told students.
What are the rocks metaphor for? The rocks are the truly important things, such as love, principles, moral, integrity, health, family, relationships. If all else was lost and only the rocks remained, your life would still be meaningful, right?
What about your pebbles? The pebbles are all other things that matter in your life, such as work or school, or whatever you hold important. .
And the sand? The sand is all about the remaining “small stuff” and material possessions.
The same can be applied to your lives! In other words, if you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will not have enough good quality time for the things that are truly important.
This story nicely assures us that we may have time to do everything that we want to do, only if we prioritize and manage our time wisely. That would lead to happiness indeed.
Thus, pay attention to the things in life that are critical to your happiness and well-being.
There will always be time to go to do less important things, hence, take care of the rocks first – things that really matter. Set your priorities.
The rest is just pebbles and sand.
Put in place important things in life – the big rocks first, otherwise, sand and trivial things take too much space!
Each piece needs to be intentionally put into its rightful place, and every piece is significant.
Real life is like that. We need to focus on our priorities, however, life is full of curve changes and stages.
An inflexible list of goals and priorities that does not accommodate change, or the seemingly small pieces, leaves you lacking.
Here’s an example – your career might be a big rock for you.
Suppose you are running to a meeting and come across by a small child who just fell and need your help asking for your help . How you react ? ”Sorry, I am in a hurry, running to a meeting? I am focusing on my big rocks now. I will come back latter!”
Small rocks or big ones? Let’s evaluate at every bend. Do not become so rigid that life’s pieces become too stuck in lace preventing a more beautiful whole.
Because, in a real life, we are not living in a box!
So, what are the rock, pebbles and sand in your life? Think about it!
