Good morning, Team! It’s Friday!

The concept of Rocks has been around for decades. Sermons, Stephen Covey, Gino Wickman have all made the concept more prevalent. Namely, How do I prioritize my life; work, family, personal…and all of the subsets of issues underneath?

In Stephen Covey’s framework, “Rocks” represent the most important priorities or goals — the key tasks that truly matter in achieving long-term success and alignment with your values. Covey illustrates that if you fill your schedule (the “jar”) with small, less meaningful activities first (“sand” or “pebbles”), there’s no room left for the “big rocks.” By focusing on Rocks first — the vital, high-impact activities — you ensure that what matters most gets done, and everything else fits around it or falls away.

Sometimes we learn more from what not to do. Here’s my story:

I lived in a small community for 16 years where my children’s mother was raised, we raised our children there and her parents lived there as well. Tragedy struck … we learned that my mother-in-law’s beloved brother was brutally murdered in Montana. She called early one morning, after she heard from the investigating Sheriff, and I answered. It was heartbreaking. 

That same morning I was supposed to meet a significant client at a predetermined location to ride together for an electric cooperative meeting in St Cloud, Minnesota. Neither of us had a cell phone and he was assuredly on the road by the time I got the call from my distraught mother-in-law. 

You see where this going?

I should have stayed home and consoled my wife at the time, my mother-in-law, my children and demonstrated concern with my actions, not just empathic words. This was a huge Rock and I was not prepared for it.

Instead, I drove to the meet-up site, a little late, and focused on work on a day that family was clearly the priority.

Identify and prioritize rocks at home, at work, for yourself. It’s the best way to find balance, be successful and live with less regret.

Have a blessed weekend!

Eric