What are the things that really matter in your life? What are the things that matter the most for you? Is it the people or is it the material posessions that seem more important to you?

Is it your family or is it your job? Is it your partner, your children, your friends or is it the money and the power?

When the time will come for you to leave this world, looking back at your life, would you regret not making more money and accumulating more things or would you regret not spending more time with your loved ones?

Here is a beautiful story that I know for sure will help you answer all of these questions and many others:

“A philosophy professor stood before his class with some items on the table 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 rocks, about 2 inches in diameter.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.
He then asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “Yes.”

“Now,” said the professor, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The rocks are the important things – your family, your partner, your health, your children – 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, 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 rocks. The same goes for your 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 your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal.

Take care of the rocks first – the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.” ~ Author Unknown

What are the things that matter the most for you? You can share your comment in the comment section below 🙂

With all my love,

Like this post? Then sign-up for our “Daily Dose of Inspiration” Newsletter. It’s FREE ! Over30,000 likeminded people have already registered.

Comments