” The most important thing is to keep the most important thing the most important thing.”

– Jim Kwik or Donald P. Coduto (book: Foundation Design)

A google search cannot definitively determine who said it first. But that is not the most important thing.

The most important thing has to be kept at the right priority.

It is like filling a clear container with rocks, pebbles, and sand. If you put in sand first, then the pebbles before putting in the rocks, then you may lose time and space for all too fit.

However, if you add the rocks first, the pebbles next, and finally the sand most of the gaps are filled and little is wasted. In case the sand doesnt fit, then it is alright because these are not as important as the rocks.

The jar represents our finite life, constrained by time and space. The rocks are the most important things like family, peace of mind, integrity, legacy, happiness. In a way, these rocks can also represent your Z, the outcomes that must happen so that life is meaningful and fulfilling.

Sand can be popularity and acceptance by people you dont really care about. Sand is the X that we should not do, if we have limitations.

Pebbles are the in-between.

We cannot use ZYX for everything in our life. But if we choose the really important things and apply the ZYX mindset, then we can be sure that the most important things remain to be the most important things.

The pebbles and the sand will only have time and space just in case. Letting these go, or not giving undue importance, then we increase our chance of putting the rocks in the finite jar of our life.