A newsletter I always look forward to receiving is that produced by my Pommy mate, Derek Arden, who is without doubt the best in the world on negotiating techniques. It’s always full of great tips and information on how to negotiate more happily and successfully. Derek reports that one client has banked more than £1m extra over the three years they have been working together. Not a bad result for improving your negotiating skills.
In any event I had seen this story before, which Derek features in his newsletter, but I reckon it bears re-telling… and it’s got a twist at the end as Derek reveals.
Rocks, pebbles, sand and wine
Here is a new take on the old parable which reminds us to take care of the important things in life, the rocks… the things that really matter – our family, our friends and our health. After all no one ever said as they went to heaven, “I wish I had spent more time in the office”
A philosophy professor stood before his class and had some items in front of him.
When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks – rocks about 2″ in diameter.
He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. So the professor then picked up a box of small pebbles and poured them into the jar.
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He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks.
He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The students laughed. The professor then picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.
Of course, the sand filled up everything else. “Now,” said the professor, “I want you to recognise that this is your life.
1 – The rocks are the important things – your family, your health, and your real friends, things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full!
2 – The pebbles are the other things that matter such as your job, your house, and your car.
3 – The sand is everything else, the small stuff.
If you put the sand into the jar first, there’s no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you’ll never have room for the things that are important to you. “Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Take time to keep fit.
There’ll always be time to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the washing machine. Take care of the rocks first – the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”
But then a mature student took the jar, which the other students and the professor agreed was full, and proceeded to pour in some wine. Of course the wine filled the remaining spaces and soaked into the sand within the jar, making the jar truly full.
Which proves that no matter how full your life is, there’s always room for a glass of wine?
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