What can a jar of mayonnaise teach us about priorities in life?

[Greg Bernhardt]

This has been passed around facebook a bit, but I really like it so I'm going to post it here for anyone who hasn't seen it.

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day is not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and two cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.

When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and fills it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured it into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “YES”.

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

“Now,” said the professor, as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things - God, family,
children, health, friends, and favorite passions. Things, that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and car. The sand is everything else -- the small stuff.” he said.

“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “There is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for 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...” he told them.

“So... pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Worship with your family. Play with your children. Take your partner out to dinner. Spend time with good friends. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the dripping tap. Take care of the golf balls first -- the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled and said, “I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.”

 

[Borek]

This is an apocryphal version, from what I know it was beer, not coffee.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

This is an apocryphal version, from what I know it was beer, not coffee.

In Ireland it's whiskey :D

 

[leroyjenkens]

Nice lesson, but worship and god being golf balls? Even if you're religious, that shouldn't be your highest priority.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Nice lesson, but worship and god being golf balls? Even if you're religious, that shouldn't be your highest priority.

I often hear religious people put God right before family. I take it he's just giving examples of high priority options rather than an order. Even though there clearly is an order :D

 

[Borek]

It is also worth of noting you can start with a beer and other things will still fit in the jar. Sure, the beer will leak, but that's what it does anyway.

 

[Dembadon]

Thank you for sharing, Greg.

I generally don't like allegory outside of literary prose or poetry, but your post is highly relevant to my current situation.

I'm taking difficult, time consuming courses this semester and it has been hard to find time for family and friends About 2 weeks ago I decided if I didn't get an A on every assignment, everything would still be okay. This simple realization, although extremely difficult for me to come to terms with, has improved my relationship with my wife and is helping me learn how to have a healthy balance in life.

So, last Sunday, I painted my sister-in-law's baby room instead of sitting in front of a computer all day working on a program. I will not get an A on my assignment (probably a B), but seeing the look on their faces after the paint was dry made it completely worthwhile.

 

[dipole]

Minus the whole god and worship crap, I like the sentiment.

 

[Ben Niehoff]

This is Greg's subtle hint that we should get off of PF and go do something useful...

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

This is Greg's subtle hint that we should get off of PF and go do something useful...

what!? no! no! must delete this thread now! PF is a golf ball! :D

 

[Ben Niehoff]

what!? no! no! must delete this thread now! PF is a golf ball! :D

You can go back and edit the original post to say "God, family, Physics Forums..."

 

[BobG]

The only thing I would do differently, is wait to pour in the coffee.

Instead, I'd dump the contents of the jar (without the coffee) into a sieve over a sand bucket just to separate everything back out and then put the sand, the pebbles, and the golf balls back in the opposite order and see if they all fit (which they won't, even though it's still the same amount of stuff that came out of the jar).

But the coffee adds a nice touch, as well.

 

[dodo]

I'm sure there is an obscene joke on Tiger Woods here somewhere.

 

[staddum]

I'm sure there is an obscene joke on Tiger Woods here somewhere.

I've read it all for you. There isn't. You should read it anyway.

 

[lisab]

what!? no! no! must delete this thread now! PF is a golf ball! :D

Thanks for that .

 

[Chi Meson]

My house is full of sand.

metaphorically as well.