Looking for Stones
I think that the story that follows is even more important today, especially since I am helping agents at Towne & Country, Realtors to find their way in New/Social media. Inevitably the question that all people wonder is, “So if we do all of this great stuff, when are we supposed to have time to sell real estate?”
I had originally published this in my other blog. I gave myself permission to reprint it here. Thanks, Diane! You’re a peach!
A teacher stood in front of his class, and pulled a huge jar from under the counter. He began to fill it with large stones. When he had piled every stone into the jar, it was filled to the top.
He asked the class, “Is this jar full?” Of course, they answered yes.
The teacher then proceeded to add small stones that he had kept hidden under the counter. The class watched as a surprising amount of these filled the spaces between the larger stones. “How about now? Is my jar full yet?” he asked them.
He then brought out a bucket of sand, and slowly poured it into the jar, filling the spaces around the stones. When the sand had filled all of the gaps and threatened to spill over the edge, he asked, “What about now?”
Well, obviously nothing else could fit in that jar.
Then the teacher brought up a watering can and proceeded to empty most of the contents into the jar.
This story was told by my trainer at my old real estate agency. At this point, all of us agents were all thinking that this implied that whenever you complain that you are busy- you can always find more time, and indeed I have heard the parable told like that. Our coach went one step further, though.
He said, “You are probably thinking that what I am going to tell you is there is always more time. But what I am trying to tell you is everything wouldn’t have fit into the jar if the big stones hadn’t gone in first.”
Too true. Your business will fill up your days, whether you are contributing to your blog, selling real estate, or sorting paper clips. It is SO important to determine what is important- regardless of the business you are in- and place that into your schedule first.
