Blog / Leading with Intent

The Big Rocks: Your Priorities, Your Success or Your Failure

"You are EXACTLY where you should be given the things you have done to get there" ~ Unknown

I want to share a simple idea with you: the Big Rocks. The Big Rocks: Your Priorities, Your Success or Your FailureIt will help you see your world, your daily priorities and eventually your success from a different perspective.

During a training session I attended at JP Morgan Chase for new employees, a trainer from Franklin Covey explained the concept of the Big Rocks. It made a lot of sense to me then and it still does today. Although I fail to put some of the lessons to use on occasions, I still strive to practice this principle everyday and its impact on my life has been enormous.

The Big Rock principle has helped me to focus on the things that really matter and also align my actions to my values.

Is this easy to do? No.

Can it be done? Yes.

Will you achieve more by taking this approach (focusing on the Big Rocks) instead of simply filling your day with the gravels or sands? Absolutely!

Picture a jar. If you pour in the sand and gravel first, the big rocks never fit. Put the big rocks in first and the rest finds its place. Now think about how you go about your day. You can almost feel the pressure of the many things in your life fighting for your attention, pulling you in many different directions. Most people live this way but when you ask them why, they say "I'm just living my life...taking it day by day". This is really just another way of them saying "my life has no purpose...it is meaningless". If that is you, I recommend that you read the "30 Days to Live" series. It will definitely help you put things in perspective.

"There are no real mistakes, only misplans, weak-plans or no-plans" ~ Unknown

When you live without a clear mental picture of who you are, who you want to become and what you want to achieve with your life, you become enthralled with the pettiness of daily occurrences and emergencies. This, in turn, creates stress which lead to frustration and sometimes a sense of under-achieving or "in-achieving".

Go ahead...Put your Big Rocks in first and Go Lead Your Life!