By Eliana Barriga Publisher and Managing Editor for The Retail Observer ![]() Here’s a great tale of remembering what’s important in your life. It’s the story of a jar and life priorities... A professor stood before his philosophy class and picked up a very large and empty jar, which he proceeded to fill with golf balls. He then asked his students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. So next he picked up a box of small pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles filled the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor then poured a box of sand into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous, “Yes!” The professor then produced two cans of beer and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed. “Now I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things – your family, your children, your health, your friends, your favorite passions – things that, if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else – the small stuff. If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.” One student raised her hand and asked what the beer represented. The professor smiled. “I’m glad you asked. It just goes to show you that, no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of beers with a friend.” --author unknown Is your jar of life filled with the things that are most important to you in life, or filled primarily with pebbles and small stuff? It’s time to fill your life with the important things that are critical to your happiness and success. Make sure you fill the jar with those things first. The rest can wait... Cheers! Eliana Barriga [email protected]
0 Comments
By Eliana Barriga Publisher and Managing Editor for The Retail Observer ![]() Managing the occasional deluge Well, the lazy days of summer are winding down, and it seems like life is cranking up again. It seems that once Labor Day hits— boom—next thing you know, the holidays are upon us. And as Murphy’s Law would have it, these busy times seem to be when life’s little emergencies seem to pop up! Managing what life throws at us and still keeping up with our businesses takes some talent, organization, and sometimes, even the costly outside contractor. There are times when there’s just so much on our plates that hiring outside help becomes a necessity. Now, I am definitely a do-it-yourself kinda girl whenever I possibly can, but there are times when there are not enough hours in the day to take care of it all. For example, in the middle of this month’s crunch time in publishing The Retail Observer, the main sewer line in my house collapsed, requiring me rip out the flooring and jackhammer a 1 ft. x 2 ft. trench in the concrete slab from one end of the house to the other, taking with it the kitchen and 2 bathrooms. The timing couldn’t have been worse. While working on the repair as best I could, it just made more sense to hire workers so that I could continue to deal with the most important issue at hand — the magazine. While many people are hesitant to hire outside help in the effort to save money, there are times when hiring an outside contractor or business consultant become the best financial decision. Having someone take care of the items that draw your focus away from your business frees you up to concentrate on the crucial areas of your business that bring in the money, grow the company, and ensure repeat customers. Your time is well spent in your business—after all, its success is largely dependent on the values, style and climate you established when you originally opened your doors, and you are the expert. Here’s to your expertise- Eliana Barriga [email protected] |
CategoriesArchives
December 2021
|