the big rocks

This is originally a post from Brian Wis, one of the administrators of the Band Directors Group on Facebook.  That being said, the analysis at the bottom is geared toward teachers; I encourage you to make your own connections, as I believe this object lesson can apply to anyone's life.

The Big Rocks:

Dr. Stephen R. Covey, First Things First

One day this expert was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration I’m sure those students will never forget. After I share it with you, you’ll never forget it either.

As this man stood in front of the group of high-powered over-achievers he said, "Okay, time for a quiz." Then he pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed mason jar and set it on a table in front of him. Then he 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 this jar full?" Everyone in the class said, "Yes." Then he said, "Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks.

Then he smiled and asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?" By this time the class was onto him. "Probably not," one of them answered. "Good!" he replied. And he reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in and it went into all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, "Is this 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 up at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?"

One eager beaver raised his 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 into it!"

"No," the speaker replied, "that’s not the 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."

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There are many ways to think about this story.

If you are a first year teacher, the Big Rocks are the things that your oldest students expected to experience before their last teacher announced that they were leaving. Make *sure* you've realized what those things are and you have put those rocks into the jar. And yes... even though you don't agree with some of them. The Big Rocks are *not* the things that you have on your personal career checklist...not right now. Your career needs are the pebbles...the sand...the water. Truth be told, the most successful teachers spend their careers thinking this way, but that's for another post...

If you have been at your school for many years, the Big Rocks are the pillars of your teaching philosophy. Things that are easily forgotten and sacrificed in the day-to-day craziness/paperwork/meetings and other things that distract us. Make sure your musical values get into that jar before the little things. Remember for example that the best and worst days for most of us are a direct result of our repertoire choices.

And naturally, if you have a family, your "work jar" needs to fit INSIDE your "family jar"... not the other way around. Be thinking about ways you can be more efficient in your job so that your family does not become a pebble inside of your work jar.

Now, scroll back to the top and read the story again. No seriously... read it again.