A Curious Story About The Mayonnaise Jar & The Two Cups Of Coffee

This story came to me from one of my coaching group members, Bill Bowman from Apex North Carolina. I think you’ll like it — especially as an uplifting way of closing out your week.

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle… when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.

Here’s the deal: A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began he wordlessly 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, and the students responded with a unanimous “Yes.”

The professor them 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 recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things. Your family, your children, God, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions. And if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car.

And the sand is everything else. All the small stuff. If you put the sand into the jar first, there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. And the same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18 holes. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of your golf balls first — the things that really matter. Set your priorities — the rest is sand.

One of the students raised her hand and asked what the coffee represented. The professor smiled and said, “The coffee just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem… there’s always room to sit down and have a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.

Good advice, don’t you think?

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On page 9 of this month’s Offline Seductive Selling Newsletter, I reveal the HUGE upswing in your life that comes from “time off” — something I learned a hard lesson about recently. Check it out and take a fre.e test-drive subscription, right here — so you don’t make the same stupid mistake I made, and suffer the same stupid consequences: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl
Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. Looks like my Seductive Selling Radio Show will be delayed a few more weeks, stay tuned for more info.

About the Author

Craig GarberAuthor of "How To Make Maximum Money With Minimum Customers, " and publisher of Seductive Selling - an offline marketing newsletter currently read in 15 countries, world-wide. In a nutshell, I do two things: 1. I show you how to attract a reliable, steady stream of pre-qualified leads who are ready to do business with you NOW... 2. And I increase your net profits and cash-flow, by increasing your customer, client, or patient value -- often, dramatically. How do I do this? By developing, and helping you implement, unique, personalized lead generation and marketing strategies... using compelling sales messages that push your customers emotional buy-buttons. I've worked with over 300 clients in more than 104 different industries, since March of 2000, and I really enjoy what I do. I'm a stable, reliable, happily married family guy with three kids who loves life and always follows through on my commitments and promises. I love to listen to music, workout, read, travel with my family, take pictures, and go bass fishing. I always say "Yes," when it comes to good cigars, good books, and good coffee :-)

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