Ganga Jogur

How to prioritize the important things in life. Rocks, Pebbles, & Sand: There's a rather well-known story that I like to remind myself of every so often. A professor walks into his class and sets a few items out on the table: • A large glass jar • A bunch of rocks • A bunch of pebbles • A pile of sand The professor puts the rocks into the glass jar and holds it up in front of the students. "Is the jar full?" he asks. They all nod their heads—yes, the jar is full. Then he pours the pebbles into the jar. He shakes it a little bit and lets the pebbles settle into all of the space between the larger rocks. Again, he asks, "Is the jar full?" Smiling, they again all nod their heads—yes, now the jar is full. Then he pours the pile of sand into the jar. He shakes it a little bit and lets the sand fill every last bit of space between the large rocks and pebbles. Once again, he asks, "Is the jar full?" The students realize they've been beaten—yes, now the jar is full. The professor proceeds to explain that the jar represents your life: • The rocks are the most important things—your family, dearest friends, health, and basic needs. • The pebbles are the other important things—your career, looser friends, and hobbies. • The sand is everything else in your life—your possessions, loose acquaintances, and miscellaneous worries. The professor makes his two key points: 1. If you only have your rocks (and remove the pebbles and sand), your jar still feels full. As long as you have your family, your dearest friends, your health, and your basic needs, your life will always feel full. 2. If you put the sand into the jar first, you'll never have room for the rocks and the pebbles. If you spend all your time worrying about material possessions and low-meaning things, you'll never have time to focus on what truly matters. I love this story and find value in reminding myself of it often. It's easy to get caught in the "sand trap" and lose sight of what is important. Lesson: Focus on the rocks and trust that the rest will fall into place around them. If you enjoyed this or learned something, follow me @SahilBloom for more like it in the future.