It's that time of year again where we focus on new resolutions. How many of us expect to still visit the gym in February? We hope we'll commit to better behaviours, healthier lifestyles and drop some of our less helpful traits. Here's a short story which helps me remember to plan the important things into my calendar.
The BIG Rocks…
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 he pulled out a one-gallon, 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 down 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 gravel.
Once more he asked the question, “Is the jar full?”
“No!” the class shouted.
Once again he said, “Good.”
Then he grabbed 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?”
An eager student raised his hand and said, “The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit some more things in it!”
“No,” the speaker replied, “that’s not the point.”
The truth this illustration teaches us is: 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, getting your hair and nails done at Michael Van Clarke (sic), 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.
Training and development is one of my greatest passions and nothing gives me more pleasure than helping our team grow and realise their best selves. This Spring we’re sending 7 of them to the Excel Centre for a challenging 4 day seminar of self-discovery with the world’s leading personal coach Tony Robbins. One of their tests on this ‘navel-gazing’ extravaganza is to walk barefoot over red-hot coals. Having managed that, they should be able to handle the scariest client (just kidding!). The greatest thing about these seminars is how it opens up a whole new world of thinking and opportunity.
