The Biggest Rocks

Recently I've been thinking about issues with time.

How am I going to get all this done? How can I get all this reading done? I've got to do my taxes. How do these other bloggers find all the time to get all their reading, writing, commenting on other blogs, responding to their comments, etc? I've got to write another post. Make time to meditate, vizualize, write in my gratitude journal, etc., etc., etc.

Deep Breath

On top of that I need to spend time with my kids for fun, to help them with their homework, volunteer in their schools, keep after them to clean-up, make sure they brush their teeth, etc.

Deep Breath

and to keep myself sane:

WHAT ABOUT ME?

Eventhough I have schedules, planned events, allocated time for reading, writing, etc. Sometimes it takes longer to write the next post with thoughts "It'll take just a few more minutes, then it'll be done." One of the little people gets distracted and doesn't get done what I've asked them to do. An unexpected call. Something else just popped up.

Naturally I attracted the following story into my life to put a little perspective on it all. Eventhough I've read this story before, I evedentally needed to read it again.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

*************************************************
THE STORY


One day, an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration those students will never forget. As he stood in front of the group of high-powered overachievers he said, "Okay, time for a quiz," and pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouth mason jar and set it on the table in front of him.

He also produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?"

Everyone in the class yelled, "Yes."

The time management expert replied, "Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. He dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves into the spaces between the big rocks. He then asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?"

By this time the class was on to him. "Probably not," one of them answered. "Good," he replied.

He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in the jar and it went into all of the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?" "No," the class shouted. Once again he said, "Good!"

Then he took a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?"

One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit more things in it!"

"No," the speaker replied, "that's not the point. The truth is what 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? Time with your loved ones? Your faith? Your education? Your dreams? A worthy cause? Teaching or mentoring others? Remember to put these big rocks in first or you'll never get them in at all.

So, tonight or in the morning, when you are reflecting on this short story, ask yourself this question, "What are the big rocks in my life? Then, put those in your jar first!"

Author Unknown

*************************************************

My big rocks are:

* Being with my kids, helping them with school, their activites, tending to scraped knees, etc.

* Work

* Personal Development (reading, writing, meditating, EFT, etc.)

Leave a comment and share "What are you big rocks?"