Sorting My Priorities

Allot of people I know have read this theory and I find myself constantly thinking about this story over and over. Recently I lead a crew meeting using this theory and thought I'd share it.

In First Things First, Stephen Covey tells a great story:
One day an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students. As he stood in front of the group of high-powered overachievers he said, "Okay, time for a quiz." He then pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed Mason jar and set it on the table. He 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 said, "Yes." Then he said, "Really?"

He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing it to work down into the space between the big rocks. Then he 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 and started dumping the sand in the jar until it filled the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, "Is this 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?"

One eager beaver 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 that 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? Your children, your loved ones, your education, your dreams, a worthy cause, teaching others, doing things that you love, your health; your mate. Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first or you'll never get them in at all. If you sweat about the little stuff then you'll fill your life with little things and you'll never have the real quality time you need to spend on the big, important stuff."big

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.

Big Rocks:
Succeed in my Management Training Program
Become A Star Performer
Manage to schedule time to do both
Manage my money to pay off Student Loans, Credit Cards, and other Debt I've ignored during my crazy adventures so far in California

Small Rocks:
Find Time to Street Perform
Practice Guitar/Violin
Exercise and gain some freaking weight!

Pebbles:
Fall in Love, move in with a stranger and let it throw my entire life into whack

Welcome to Sacramento

Here I am in Sacramento, CA. It's been a month of me being here now. I came with a group of friends to open up a new marketing office out here. My dream is to one day become a performing singer. My goal is to become a successful manager of people. Once I can successfully manage myself, I will be able to turn my dream into an actual goal.

Short Term Goal: Balance and manage my money, student loans, credit card debt and start saving up to be able to get voice lessons, a speaker and mic, and repair this iPod mini I found free.

Mid Term Goal: Become a successful at training, selling, and interviewing at my marketing job while scheduling time to actually practice and study the art of performing and marketing myself on stage to an audience.

Long Term Goal: Decide if I really want to open my marketing office or chase my fuzzy dream of becoming a performing singer.



Short Short Term Goal: Write down my goals, my little steps, my big steps, my failures, and my successes down online for myself to keep track of.