Lessons Learned

One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live.

They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.

On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, “How was the trip?”

“It was great, Dad.”

“Did you see how poor people live?” the father asked.

“Oh yeah,” said the son.

“So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?” asked the father.

The son answered: “I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.

“We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.

“We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs.

“We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them.”

The boy’s father was speechless.

Then his son added, “Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are.”

Time Management, Overachievers and the Big Rocks Of Life

Something to Think About...

A while back I was reading about an expert on subject of time management. One day this expert was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration I'm sure those students will never forget. After I share it with you, you'll never forget it either.

As this man stood in front of the group of high-powered overachievers he said, "Okay, time for a quiz." Then he pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed mason jar and set it on a table in front of him. Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar.
When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?" Everyone in the class said, "Yes." Then he said, "Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks. Then he smiled and asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?"

By this time the class was onto him. "Probably not," one of them answered. "Good!" he replied. And he reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in and it went into all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?" "No!" the class shouted. Once again he said, "Good!" Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked up at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?"

One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard, you can always fit some more things into it!" "No," the speaker replied, "that's not the point. The truth this illustration teaches us is: If you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all." The title of this letter is the "Big Rocks" of Life.

What are the big rocks in your life? A project that YOU want to accomplish? Time with your loved ones? Your faith, your education, your finances? A cause? Teaching or mentoring others? Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first or you'll never get them in at all.

So, tonight or in the morning when you are reflecting on this short story, ask yourself this question: What are the "big rocks" in my life or business? Then, put those in your jar.

The Story of the Butterfly

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly.
One day a small opening appeared.
He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours
as it struggled to squeeze its body through the tiny hole.
Then it stopped, as if it couldn't go further.

So the man decided to help the butterfly.
He took a pair of scissors and
snipped off the remaining bits of cocoon.
The butterfly emerged easily but
it had a swollen body and shriveled wings.


The man continued to watch it,
expecting that any minute the wings would enlarge
and expand enough to support the body,
Neither happened!
In fact the butterfly spent the rest of its life
crawling around.
It was never able to fly.


What the man in his kindness
and haste did not understand:
The restricting cocoon and the struggle
required by the butterfly to get through the opening
was a way of forcing the fluid from the body
into the wings so that it would be ready
for flight once that was achieved.


Sometimes struggles are exactly
what we need in our lives.
Going through life with no obstacles would cripple us.
We will not be as strong as we could have been
and we would never fly.

Be Positive Like This Boy

Be Positive Like This Boy



A beautiful Madam was having trouble with one of her students in 1st Grade class. Madam asked,'Boy. what is your problem?'



Boy answered, 'I'm too smart for the first-grade. My sister is in the third-grade and I'm smarter than she is! I think I should be in the 4th Grade!'



Madam had enough. She took the Boy to the principal's office. While the Boy waited in the outer office, madam explained to the principal what the situation was. The principal told Madam he would give the boy a test and if he failed to answer any of his

questions he was to go back to the first-grade and behave.She agreed.



the Boy was brought in and the conditions were explained to him and he agreed to take the test.







Principal: 'What is 3 x 3?'

Boy.: '9'.





Principal: 'What is 6 x 6?'

Boy.: '36'.





And so it went with every question the principal thought a 4th grade should know. The principal looks at Madam and tells her, 'I think Boy can go to the 4th grade.'



Madam says to the principal, 'I have some of my own questions.



Can I ask him ?' The principal and Boy both agreed.





Madam asks, 'What does a cow have four of that I have only two of'?



Boy, after a moment 'Legs.'





Madam: 'What is in your pants that you have but I do not have?'



Boy.: 'Pockets.'







Madam: What starts with a C and ends with a T, is hairy, oval,

delicious and contains thin whitish liquid?



Boy.: Coconut





Madam: What goes in hard and pink then comes out soft And sticky?



The principal's eyes open really wide and before he could stop the answer, Boy was taking charge.



Boy.: Bubblegum





Madam: What does a man do standing up, a woman does sitting down and a dog does on three legs?



The principal's eyes open really wide and before he could stop the answer..



Boy.: Shake hands







Madam: You stick your poles inside me. You tie me down to get me up. I get wet before you do.



Boy.: Tent







Madam: A finger goes in me. You fiddle with me when you're bored. The best man always has me first.



The Principal was looking restless, a bit tense and took one large Patiala Vodka peg.



Boy.: Wedding Ring





Madam: I come in many sizes. When I'm not well, I drip. When you blow me, you feel good.



Boy.: Nose







Madam: I have a stiff shaft. My tip penetrates. I come with a quiver.



Boy.: Arrow





Madam: What word starts with a 'F' and ends in 'K' that means lot of heat and excitement?



Boy.: Fire truck







Madam: What word starts with a 'F' and ends in 'K' & if u don't get it, u have to use ur hand.



Boy.: Fork







Madam: What is it that all men have one of it's longer on some men than on others, the pope doesn't use his and a man gives it to his wife after they're married?



Boy.: SURNAME.





Madam: What part of the man has no bone but has muscles, has lots of veins, like pumping, & is responsible for making love ?



Boy.: HEART.







The principal breathed a sigh of relief and said to the teacher,



'Send this Boy to

IIM AHMEDABAD (Indian Institute Of Managment)

I got the last ten questions wrong myself!'