Written by Dr. Emeric LeBreton | Posted on 07/21/04 at 4:46 pm
Coaching to make the right decisions: Once upon a time…
old professor atNational School of Public Administration (ENAP)) to provide training in effective time planning to a group of executives from major companies in North America. This course was one of five workshops on the training day. So the old teacher only had an hour to “pass his material”.
The old professor stood in front of this group of elites, looked at them one by one, slowly, and then said to them: “We will do an experiment.” From under the table that separated him from his students, the old teacher took out a large one-gallon jar (a glass jar of more than 4 liters) and placed it in front of him. Then he took out dozens of pebbles the size of tennis balls and carefully placed them, one by one, in a large bowl.
When the jar was filled to the brim and it was impossible to add another pebble, he slowly looked at his students and asked them: “Is this jar full?” Everyone answered: “Yes.” He waited a few seconds and added, “Really?” So he bent down again and pulled out a container full of pebbles from under the table.
And very carefully, pour this gravel over the large pebbles and turn the pot a little. Pieces of gravel crept between the pebbles … to the bottom of the pot. The old professor looked at his audience and asked again, “Is this jar full?” This time, his brilliant students are beginning to understand his trick. Someone replied: Probably not! ” ” Hassan ! The old professor replied.
He bent down again and this time pulled out a small bag of sand from under the table. Pour sand into the pot. The sand went in to fill the voids between the large stones and gravel. And he asked again: “Is this jar full?” This time, without hesitation and with a chorus, the students answered “No!”
“Good!” answered the old professor. As his eminent students expected, he took the jug of water that was on the table and filled the pot. Then the old teacher asked, “What great truth does this experiment show us?” »
The most daring students, reflecting on this course, answered: “It shows that even when we think our calendar is completely full, if we really want it, we can add more appointments to it. , more things do.” “No,” replied the old teacher, “That’s not all. The great truth that this experiment shows us is: If you don’t put the big rocks into the bowl first, you can never get them all in afterwards.” There was a deep silence, and everyone became aware of the clarity These notes.
Then the old teacher said to them: What are the big rocks in your life? your health? your family ? your friends? make your dreams? Do what you like to learn? Defend a case? rest? Take the time…? Or anything else? What you need to remember is the importance of putting your high stakes first in your life, otherwise you are not taking that risk success…his life. If we prioritize the picadillos (gravel and sand), we will fill our lives with picadillos and not have enough time to dedicate to the important items. So don’t forget to ask yourself the question: “What are the big rocks in my life?” “Then put them first in the pot (of your life). »
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Article author: Dr. Emeric Liberton