The Mayonnaise Jar and Two Cups of Coffee
When things in your lives seem almost too much to handle, when 24
hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2
cups of coffee.
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items
in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly 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 an 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--your family, your children, your health, your friends
and your favorite passions--and 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
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
spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. 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 coffee 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 cups of coffee with a friend."
