A professor uses a jar filled with tennis balls, pebbles, sand, and coffee to teach students about prioritizing the important aspects of their lives. The tennis balls represent family, health, and passions - the things that are most critical to happiness. Pebbles symbolize other important things like work and possessions. Sand signifies unimportant small things that should not be prioritized over pebbles and tennis balls. Even when the jar seems full, there is always room for spending time with friends, represented by the coffee poured in at the end. The lesson is about focusing on what really matters rather than getting caught up in less important tasks and responsibilities.

1. Whenyoufeel youare losingcontrol of your life,when24hoursin a day isnot enough,remember
the jars of picklesandcoffee.
The professorstoodbefore agroupof studentsinthe classphilosophyandkeptsome itemsbehind.
Whenthe class began,wordlesslyhe pickedupa large,emptyjarof pickleskisekihandplacediton
the chair.
I filledthe jarwithtennisballsandasked if the jarwas full.The studentsagreedthatitwas.
Thenthe professortooka box full of pebblesandpouredthemintothe jar.Blessedisshe shookand
stonesare rolledintothe emptyspace betweenthe ball.Againhe askedthe studentsif the jarwas
full.Againthe answerisyes.
The nextbox that the professortookwasfull of sand.Whenpoured,sandis,of course,fulfill all
remainingholesinthe jar.Once againhe askedif the jar was full.Studentsare humblyanswered
that he had.
Thenthe professorunderthe table tookouttwo cupsfull of coffee andpouredthemintothe jar.
Coffee soakedsand,andstudentswereloudlylaugh.
"Now,"saidthe professor,asthe laughtersubsided,"Iwantyouto recognize thatthisjar represents
your life.Tennisballsare the importantthingsinyourlife:yourfamily,children,health,religionand
stuff
that passionatelyteach.These are the thingswithwhichtomake yourlife andstill be met,evenif
everythingelse waslost.
Pebblesare those otherthingsthatare important:yourjob,house,orcar.
The sand representsthe remainingthings,little things.If youfill the jarwithsandwill notbe room
for the pebblesandtennisballs.
The same istrue in life.If youspendall yourtime andenergyon the small stuff,youwill neverhave
room forthose importantthings.Payattentiontothe thingsthatare critical to yourhappiness.Play
withyourchildren.Performyourpartneroutto dinner.Findtime togoto the doctor. Treatme again
like you18 There will alwaysbe time tocleanthe house anddothe repairs.
First,be sure to tennisballs - thingsthatare reallyimportant.Determine yourpriorities.
Everythingelse issand."
One of the studentsaskedwhatisthe coffee.
The professorsmiled'I'mgladyouasked.Ipour it to show youthat no matterhow much youthink
your life isfilled,there isalwaysroomfora cup of coffee withafriend."
"Please share thiswithsome friends.Ijustam."