TheStoryofBigrocksOneday,anexpertintime-managementwasspeakingtoagroupofbusinessstudents,andtodrivehomeapoint,heusedanillustrationthosestudentswillneverforget.Ashestoodinfrontofthegroupofhigh-poweredoverachievers,hesaid,“Okay,timeforaquiz.”Hethenpulledoutaone-gallon,wide-mouthmasonryjarandsetitonthetableinfrontofhim.Thenheproducedaboutadozenfist-siderocksandcarefullyplacedthem,onebyone,intothejar.Whenthejarwasfilledtothetopandnomorerockswouldfitinside,heasked,“Isthisjarfull?”everyoneintheclasssaid,“Yes.”Thenhesaid,“Really?”hereachedunderthetableandpulledoutabucketofgravel.Thenhedumpedsomegravelinandshookthejar,causingpiecesofgraveltoworkthemselvesdownintothespacebetweenthebigrocks.Thenheaskedthegrouponcemore.“Isthisjarfull?”Bythistimetheclasswasontohim.“Probablynot,”oneofthemanswered.“Good!”hereplied.Hereachedunderthetableandbroughtoutabucketofsand.Hestarteddumpingthesandinthejaranditwentintoallthespacesleftbetweentherocksandthegravel.Oncemoreheaskedthequestion.“Isthisjarfull?”“No!”theclassshouted.Onceagain,hesaid,“Good!”Thenhegrabbedapitcherofwaterandbegantopouritinuntilthejarwasfilledtothebrim.Thentheexpertintime-managementlookedattheclassandasked,“Whatisthepointofthisillustration?”oneeagerbeaverraisedhishandandsaid,“Thepointis,nomatterhowfullyourscheduleis,ifyoutryreallyhard,youcanalwaysfitsomemorethingsinit.”“No,”thespeakerreplied,“that’snotthepoint.Thetruththisillustrationteachesusisthis:Ifyoudon’tputthebigrocksinfirst,you’llnevergettheminatall.Whatarethebigrocksinyourlife?Yourchildren.Yourspouse.Yourlovedones.Yourfriendships.Youreducation.Yourdreams.Aworthycause.Teachingormentoringothers?Doingthingsthatyoulove.Timeforyourself.Yourhealth.RemembertoputtheseBIGROCKSfirst,oryou’llnevergettheminatall.Ifyousweatthelittlestuff(i.e.gravel,thesand),thenyou’llfillyourlifewithlittlethingsandyouwillneverhavetherealqualitytimeyouneedtospendonthebig,importantstuff(thebigrocks).Sotonight,orinthemorning,whenyouarereflectingonthisshortstory,askyourselfthisquestion:What