Juggling

“Work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. The other four balls-- family, health, friends, integrity-- are made of glass. If you drop one of these, it will be irrevocably scuffed, nicked, perhaps even shattered.” (--Gary Keller, The One Thing)

Juggling the balls of work, family, health, relationships, and integrity is something most adults have to do. We attempt to be dedicated to our careers and devoted to our family and friends. We also want to take care of our health and stay true to ourselves. However, we routinely drop the ball on one or more of these goals.

We are forced to choose among all our different commitments. We can’t concentrate on all these things at the same time—at least not for very long. Some of us drop the ball of health first—we stop nourishing our bodies properly; we don’t get adequate rest or exercise; we stop paying attention to our mental and emotional health. Others might drop friendships or family or work before anything else. When we are exhausted, spirituality and personal integrity seem like idealistic luxuries that we cannot afford.

We operate on the false belief that all aspects of our life are equally resilient. Yet, the above quote by Gary Keller reminds us that this is not true. Glass balls can’t be dropped without shattering consequences.