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 the remaining open areas of the jar.
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, or fix the disposal.”
“Take care of the rocks first – the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”
Author Unknown
It’s just mind blowing.
Superb.. I think it is the definition for life.
A very inspiring story, it taught us what to do in life.
Yes it is a very good story infact, especially those people who don’t see the other side of life. Now a days everyone busy with their work and their problems, but remember one thing we create our own problems and wait for the solutions. But everyone fails to get the solutions for their own problems.
Art is life; life is short…
It’s a nice moral…..without our family we can’t be happy in our life.
Really nice story.
Just not so much on how you handle the flack and intimidation you get when you leave out some of the small stuff. There’s a lot more pressure from the small stuff and its just abit too easy to say just leave it, without giving advice on how to handle the results of leaving it.
Really Nice Story & Moral
It’s a best story whichever I read as far as I know, it’s best for me…moral of this story is good & for everyone to set their priorities…and pay attention to the their families & important things….
Awesome story….
It’s a great story. We should look back what we did for our family, friends, partner …. I myself can learn a lot after reading it. We should appreciate what we have now.
Really a good way to understand the arrangments acc to values.
Waww I enjoy every word while reading it .. waw waw waw
It is a good and great moral story. By reading this story, I decided to do heavy things for my family.
Suberbbbb… no words to describe, Excellent
Really a very nice story and very good attitude.
Great and touching story telling the priorities of life.
Good Story. Everyone is not easily getting small stuff (sand), after getting we miss rocks & pebbles so give first priority family and Children
Love this site. I’ve learned a lot.
Very good moral story 🙂
Extremely its a wonderful story for everyone in this world…. any person will change their attitude after reading this story!!!
Now I realized I always give importance to not necessary .
Now I know what is important.
Human being always run towards his desire but he forget his loved ones……….
I’m really touched by this story. Now I’ll give more time 2 my family than anything else!!
Thanx very much.
100% True. Good one
Good Story.It tells about the life.What are the important thing and usefull things in life.
Nice story. It gives a family orientated bias, which when adopted is the motivation to achieve more for those closest to us. The pebbles and sand are a distant second…
Today I realised that what should be planned first. It still depends on a person what he puts as Rocks and what as sand. After reading this blog I awaked and realised that for me Rocks are my mother Father. Pebbels are my wife and Children. Sand are my lust towards House, Car etc. & Savings will be the water which can even be accomodated by the filled Jar with Rocks, Pebbels and Sand.
Yeah . . . . this story is deeply great, deeply touching and also it give us a good lesson . . thanx.
Basically we know that but this story easily understand to us importants our relations.
Thanks for ur sharing…
Juz one word to describe “SPLENDID”… =)
GOOD STORY
This is the best moral story and I learned what value or importance should family be given. I must say…… it’s not only good but also the best.
Actually, this is a very common story. I’ve read it many times on various books. There’s another story which is similar.
In the story, a master had a very proud student. In order to teach his student a lesson, he filled a tank with rocks, pebbles, sand and water. Each time asking his student if the tank is full. The student, of course, kept saying it is full. What the master was demonstrating is that there is always something to learn and that there is unlimited knowledge. He should not be so proud as to think he knew everything.
The story is really very good.
This story also fits for time management those who always queues of no time, there is ample of time if u adjust it accordingly.
Yes, I do agree the important things in life are our family and loved ones.. But not to forget that the small things which is referred to as sand is so equally important that is what makes us happy. We need to enjoy the small things in life before running behind the big things.. We should not loose the small happiness and by the time we realize this it would be too late we become old..
I think it’s a very lovely story!!! Really touching!!!!!
really it’s very helpful to understand the priorities of life
It’s pathetic…
The story was really great. It is very touching and true. I feel we must always support our family first, and this story proves it. Thank you very much.
Excellent Work, the story in the starting made me thought about the moral that their is always a scope for learning however intelligent you are but in last lines the writer explains about priorities was unexpected very few are able to reach here. GOOD JOB
Gud story. Gud lesson for everyone. Thanks on behalf of others also.
The power of simplicity – that is what the story demonstrates. If I may add my two cents worth… the story underlines the need to give priority to the IMPORTANT over the URGENT. Once the Important is in place, we can attend to the Urgent. If we fail to do that, we become perpetual slaves to the great tyrant called Urgent.
wow i never thought of life that way… every small thing is just dirt.
Nice one. Really heart touching.
A good one! I think engaging your lifetime largely with rocks, to a good extent with pebbles and to a small extent with sand is a good formula of lifetime happiness.
Really interesting, touching and worthy story for all. I like it very much.
Wonderful story!!!!
It’s true that family matters a lot & it was a touching story.
Short and sweet moral story
Thanks. It is a very nice and beautiful story.
Thankx!
It’s a very nice story, full of moral values!
This is one of the greatest motivational stories I have ever read. Although I have been using a lot of motivational books and audios, the story really given me a STRONG EMPHASIS on what are the priorities in life, and in daily routine.. Really helped me to tune my MIND towards my larger goal and to ger rid of frustruations, arguments and other sensitiveness at least to certain extent..
Thank you very much
This story is deeply touching….
I have never realized the importance of my family, friends and relations ever before, it has changed my entire view…
Thanks to the author, for making me what I really meant to be….
It’s very touching story.!.!.!.!.! Wow impressing story!!!!!!
Every moral story needn’t to be true, but only thing is that the moral what it gives is inspirational & applicable.
I think that the message here is to set your social priorities first , Family always come first in fact the inner peace come from socializing with your family and friends and the unimportant things always come in the second stage even if it was more important to you than socializing.
Very good and inspiring, will surely change d thinking of a lot of students to whom I will narrate this.
This is one of the few best saying that I read in my life.
An excellent story with a good point to all materialistic people. Hats off to the writer!
It is one of wonderful and beautiful story which I read recently.The author try to convey us that family comes first and rest is enjoyment.I agree with this author and Iam expecting more stories in future.Thank you once again.Looking feedback from readers if possible comments on feedback also../
Wow! wonderful story.
Thought of not going home this year but family first, right? Thx, u guys keep it up.
“If you put the sand in the jar first”,…… I think our priorities are very vital issues to be addressed.
Then the professor took a cup of coffee and poured it into the ‘filled’ jar. Of course, it filled every little gap. Then he said, “try and spend some coffee time with a friend or two”.
Thanx a lot, am really touched, but in order to pay attention to the important stuff (family,etc) one needs resources, resources are got by working (hard). So I think, important things in life change as one grows up. When young, make lots of money, then get a partner you can take good care of, then get the kids. Thanx
Story is incredible and value lesson.
Wonderful story. It gives the perspecive for looking at your life in true sence.
It’s very touching and heartily story.!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!
Very beautiful & touching story for students & adults
It is true about our life…family first then rest
I like this story very much. I don’t think what is important in life before I read. After reading I realized that what is important in life. Thanks for author of this story.
Thank you for the wonderful site.
Yes, indeed. It’s good morale. It’s something to think about our lifes and values.
Then, the professor reached under the table and pulled out a bottle of PBR. He poured it in, and it, of course, fit into the gaps between sand particles. “And this, my students, demonstrates that there is ALWAYS room for a little booze in your life.”