Where Do Your Priorities Fit?
(In this article, Don Schmitz reminds us of the famous time management exercise which involves putting rocks and sand in a jar. I love this story so much, and it is so accurate!)
Where Do Your Priorities Fit?
Don Schmitz
An expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students when he decided to do an experiment. He pulled out a large mason jar, a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one by one, into the jar. When no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?" Everyone in the class said, "Yes." He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. The instructor then poured gravel in the jar, shook it and asked, "Is this jar full? " By this time the class was on to him. They replied: "Probably not," Next, he reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand.
He started dumping the sand in the jar until all the space between the rocks was filled. Once more, he asked the question. "Is this jar full?" "No" the class shouted. Finally, he grabbed a pitcher of water and poured until the jar was filled to the brim. The speaker looked at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?" The speaker listened to a number of very good responses and said: "The truth this illustration teaches us is this: If you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all." What are the big rocks in your life? Are they your spouse, children and grandchildren? Are they your work, television or gambling? Are you wasting time with things that are unimportant? What is important in your life
I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE LAZIEST PERSON ALIVE...
If you just can't get yourself to do what you must do, if your willpower and
persistence always seems to fizzle out, then join people from 54 countries who
are now using the new paradigm in personal growth. Free course at Think
Right Now.
Don Schmitz is a well-known writer and speaker on parenting and grandparenting. He is the author of "The New face of Grandprenting...Why Parents Need Their Own Parents" and founder of Grandkidsandme, which includes: Grandparent Camps and Grandkid Days. Don holds graduate degrees in Education, Administration, Human Development and is father to three sons and grandfather to four granddaughters. Contact Don Schmitz at Don@grandkidsandme.com http://www.grandkidsandme.com
Self Improvement Quote for the Week
-- Updated on Wednesday, August 27, 2008 --
A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval. –Mark Twain
