The Important Stuff

One day an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students and，to drive home a point ，used an illustration those students will never forget．

As he stood in front of the group of high-powered overachievers ，he said，“Okay，time for a quiz．”Then he pulled out a one-gallon ，wide-mouthed Mason jar and set it on the table in front of him．

He then produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them，one at a time，into the jar．When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside，he asked，“Is the jar full？”

Everyone in the class said，“Yes．”

He replied，“Really？”

He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel ，then dump ed some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the space between the big rocks．

He asked the group once more，“Is the jar full？”

By this time the class was on to him．“Probably not，”one of them answered．

“Good！”he replied．

He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand．He started dumping the sand in the jar and it went into all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel．Once more he asked the question，“Is the jar full？”

“No！”the class shouted．

Once again he said，“Good！”

Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim．Then he looked at the class and asked，“What is the point of this illustration？”

One eager student raised her hand and said，“The point is，no matter how full your schedule is，if you try really hard you can always fit some more things in！”

“Good answer，but no，”the speaker replied，“that's not my point．The truth this illustration teaches us is：if you don't put the big rocks in first，you'll never get them in at all．What are the‘big rocks’in your life？In my life they are my children…my wife…my loved ones…my education…my dreams…charities and worthy causes…teaching or mentoring others…doing things that I love…time for myself…my health…Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first or you'll never get them in at all．”

If you sweat the little stuff then you'll fill your life with little things to worry about that don't really matter，and you'll never have the real quality time you need to spend on the big，important stuff（the big rocks）．

Words and Expressions

to drive home a point为了使他的论点被人理解

- illustration n．说明，图解，图示

- overachiever n．高成就者

- gallon n．加仑

fist-sized拳头大小的

- gravel n．沙砾，砾石，石子

- dump v．倾倒

- sweat v．为某事担心，忧虑

Read and recite the following sentences：

If you sweat the little stuff then you'll fill your life with little things to worry about that don't really matter，and you'll never have the real quality time you need to spend on the big，important stuff．

Now try and write out the sentences here：

If you sweat the little stuff then you'll __________ that don't really matter，and you'll never have __________ you need to spend on __________．

参考译文

生命中最重要的东西

一天，一名时间管理专家在向一群在商业这一行打拼的学生讲课时，为了清楚地说明一个论点，他用了一个令学生们永远不会忘记的演示来表达。

他站在这群精力充沛、成就出类拔萃的学生面前，说道：“好的，我们来做个测试。”然后，他拿出一个容量为一加仑的广口玻璃瓶，放在他面前的桌上。

接着，他拿出十多个拳头大小的石块，将它们小心翼翼、一块一块地放进瓶子里。等石块填满到瓶口，再也塞不下时，他问：“（你们说，）瓶子被装满了吗？”

上课的学生都说：“满了。”

他的回应是：“真的满了吗？”

他伸手到桌下取出一桶碎石，接着，他将一些碎石倒进瓶子里，并摇晃着瓶子让碎石顺着石块之间的间隙漏进瓶中。

他再一次地问这群学生：“瓶子被装满了吗？”

这一次，学生们领悟到了一些他的意图。一个学生回答说，“可能还没满吧。”

他的回应是，“回答得好！”

他伸手到桌底下，拎出了一桶沙子。他开始把沙子往瓶子里倒，沙子漏进了石块与碎石之间残留的缝隙，到不能再倒进沙子时，他又一次问：“瓶子被装满了吗？”

全班学生大声回答，“没装满！”

再一次地，他说道：“回答得好！”

然后他又一把抓过一大罐水，开始往瓶子里倒，一直倒到水浸到瓶口。然后，他看着学生们，发问：“这个演示说明了什么要点？”

一个学生急忙举起了她的手，回答：“要点是：不管你的日程安排得多紧，如果认真努力地想办法，你总是能够在其中安插更多的事情。”

专家说：“答案不错，不过，这不是我想说的要点。这个演示教给了我们一个事实：如果你不是先放大石块，它们就永远没有机会被放进去。你生活中的‘大石块’是什么呢？在我的生活中，那就是我的孩子、妻子、所爱的人、教学方法、梦想、对他人仁慈、有价值的事业、教导他人、做我喜欢做的事、我自己独处的时光、我的健康，等等。要记住，必须先放‘大石块’，否则它们永远就没有机会被放进去。”

如果你奔忙于琐事，那么，这些无关紧要的小事就会填满你的生活，让你成天操心，你就永远没办法腾出真正的“黄金时光”来处理你的大事和要事（即“大石块”）。