The “Big Rocks” Principle: How to Prioritize What Truly Matters in Life

Before retiring, the students at Harvard University held a farewell event for their wise, elderly lecturer, Roland Gerald. After the student representative finished his words of appreciation, the professor was invited to deliver his final speech.

The seasoned lecturer began by praising the university and its dedicated staff. Then, with visible emotion, he said to his students: “Now I would like to give you a parting gift.”

The Jar and the Stones

In front of him was a green box prepared in advance. He took out a large glass jar and placed it on the table. He filled it with big stones until there was no room left — not even for one more.

He then turned to his students and asked, “Is the jar full?”

The students answered yes.

The professor shook his head. “There’s still room.”

He took out a bag of small pebbles, poured them into the jar, and gently shook it so they filled the gaps between the larger stones.

“Is the jar full now?” he asked again.

“Yes, definitely,” the students replied. “Now it’s completely full.”
Only one student said, “You can still add more.”

“Exactly,” said the professor.

He took out a bag of sand and poured it into the jar. The sand filled the remaining small spaces between the stones and pebbles.

“Now the jar is full — you can’t fit even a grain more,” the students agreed.

The old professor smiled, took out a bottle of water, and poured it into the jar. The water seeped into every possible space, and now the jar was truly full.

The Lesson Behind It

He looked up at his students and asked, “What can you learn from what you’ve just seen?”

One student answered, “We learn that even when our schedules seem completely full, if we really try, we can always add more tasks.”

“More than that,” the professor corrected him. “Yes, our schedules are busy, but to accomplish everything, we must manage our time properly and give priority to what truly matters.

“If you don’t put the big stones in first, and then the pebbles, the sand, and the water, you won’t be able to fit the big stones in afterward.”

What Are Your “Big Stones”?

It is worthwhile for each of us to ask: what are the “big stones” in my life? Health? Family? Marriage? Friends? Personal growth?

The most important things must come first. The less important tasks can always find their place in the gaps that remain. But if we don’t prioritize correctly, our days will fill up with “sand and water”, and there will be no space left for what truly matters.

Our Children Come First

What are the big stones of our lives?

Our children are our entire world. They are our greatest investment and our legacy. Let us be devoted gardeners — managing our time wisely, investing deeply, and giving them warmth, love, understanding, and empathy.

Into the jar of life, let us first place the incredible gifts that the Creator has entrusted to us. And with Hashem’s help, may we be filled with endless joy and pride from them.