Stephen Covey, the author of “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” is credited for popularizing the following fable about time management. If this is your first time reading the fable, enjoy -

One day, a professor stood before his class with a large, empty glass jar. He filled the jar to the top with several large rocks, each about the size of a fist. When the jar could hold no more, he asked his students, "Is the jar full?"

The students replied, "Yes."

The professor then took a container of small pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar slightly, and the pebbles filtered down into the spaces between the rocks. Once more, he asked the students, "Is the jar full?"

The students, now catching on, hesitated but still replied, "Yes."

Next, the professor picked up a container of sand and poured it into the jar. The fine grains of sand filled in the remaining empty spaces. He asked again, "Is the jar full?" By now, the students were confident in saying, "No!"

Finally, the professor grabbed a pitcher of water and poured it into the jar until it was completely full. He then looked at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?"

One eager student raised their hand and said, "The point is that no matter how full your schedule is, you can always fit more into it if you try!"

The professor smiled but replied, "No, that’s not the lesson at all. The point is that if you don’t put the big rocks in first, you’ll never get them in at all."

If we are being honest, we all have days where we fill our jar with water, sand, or pebbles and leave no room for the rocks. Rocks are our most important life priorities- Our faith, marriage children, health, etc. 

Could you count off on one hand what your rocks are?

Stepping Off The Crazy Train: Loving & Leading A Counter-Cultural Life is a new IMPACT Cohort study for men who want to grow as husbands, fathers, and leaders. If you are a man seeking sanity in the pace and priorities of your life, family and career, we encourage you to join or start an IMPACT Cohort and participate in this 7 week study. Take action here.