Stephen Covey relays a story in his book “7 Habits of Highly effective People” about how important it is to put the big rocks in life front and centre. In his analogy the big rocks are family, friendship, health, projects that will move you forward etc and the pebbles are the minutiae of life – the tasks and day to day “stuff” that we feel we have to get done. The gist of the story is that if you fill your bucket with the pebbles first there is no room for the big rocks. So, you must make room for your big rocks first and the pebbles will then fit in around them.
If you don’t know the story, here is an old but still relevant clip of Stephen Covey showing the importance of putting the big rocks in first.
I was reminded this month how easy it is to let the tiny stones and pebbles bung up your life and not leave enough room for the important things.
Many of us set new goals and plan in January; or maybe it’s September that gives you a new term feeling. It really doesn’t matter, it could be the start of the day, the week or the 1st of any month when you choose to review your goals and plans; but whenever you do, please think first about what your big rocks are and how much time you’re dedicating to them.
It’s all too easy to look back and wonder what happened to those plans you had a few years back that you just never managed to get off the ground or that big family holiday that never quite happened in time.
As Arnold Zack, wrote to U. S. Senator for Massachusetts, Paul Tsonga, “No one on his deathbed ever said, ‘I wish I had spent more time on my business.’”
