The Rock

Ever heard the story of the philosophy professor who filled a jar with rocks? He asked his students if they thought it was full, and they agreed it was. He then tipped smaller pebbles into the jar and they slid between the larger rocks. The students thought it was full now. The professor then poured sand into the jar and it filled up all the remaining cracks in the jar.

The professor likened these items to life, saying the rocks were the important things that made their life complete (family, love, health); the pebbles were other things that matter (job, house, car) and the sand is all the small stuff in life (insignificant things). If the professor had filled the jar up with the sand (smaller, insignificant stuff), there would be no room for the rocks or pebbles, similarly if he had put the pebbles in first there would be no room for the rocks, and so on.

The moral of the professor's story was to pay specific attention to that which was critical to one's happiness in life. His message was to take care of the 'rocks' (priorities) first, and all else would follow.
 

 

In teaching this concept to my students, we literally completed this task; students filled up a jar with items and then discussed the important things in life and identified the insignificant things that hold us back from being happy.

Told to them at the beginning of the year, the story was a great reference throughout the remainder of the year; to always look at the bigger picture and to not take things in life for granted.