Words of wisdom appear where you least expect them. This lovely story of the Mayonnaise Jar was written on a paper placemat at a restaurant we visited in Barcelona, Spain. At the time we were inspired by its message taking a photo of the placemat before we ate. The image was tucked away in our numerous photos of the trip. It’s only recently that we were reacquainted with this gem of advice while going over our travel memories.
The Mayonnaise Jar
When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day is never enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee. An empty mayonnaise jar represents potential. We can fill it with a variety of things of our choosing. Several cups of coffee is a sign of warmth and connection.
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 proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them 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 recognise that this jar represents your life’. The golf balls are the important things – family, children, health, friends and favourite passions. Things that if everything was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the only things that matter like your job, house and 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 golf balls’. The same goes with life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have time for the things that are important to you.
So…. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to have medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal.
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 enquired what the coffee represented. ‘It just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there is always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend’.
Nobody’s life is ever all balanced. It’s a conscious decision to choose your priorities every day.
Elisabeth Hasselbeck
When life just gets busy or even if you feel temporarily that you’ve lost your way, it’s easy to forget what’s most important. The small details of life add up making it hard to decipher where to place your focus.
When you find yourself overwhelmed by life, the story of the mayonnaise jar and the two cups of coffee can remind you of where to place your priorities. From its wider and wiser perspective, the ‘small stuff’ can wait.
Grab a cup of coffee and spend time with your loved ones and friends. Make health a priority and care for your well-being in both mind and body. Follow your passions and essentially create the best version of yourself and your life.
