The Mayonnaise Jar and the Beer

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 beer.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had
some items 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 theclass if the jar was full.

They agreed it was.

The professor next 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 asked the students again if the jar was full.

They said yes.

The professor then picked up a box of sand and poured
it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up the
rest of the space. He asked once more if the jar wa full.

The students said yes once more.

The professor then produced two cans of beer! from
under the table and poured the entire contents of both
cans 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,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, 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.
There will always be time to clean the house, and fix
the sink.

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 beer 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 beers."