A number of years ago, Bryan Dyson, then the President and CEO of Coca-Cola Enterprises, delivered a commencement speech at Georgia Tech. In it, he discussed the difference between glass and rubber balls. His insight is as valuable today as it was then.
“Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them – work, family, health, friends and spirit – and you’re keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls – family, health, friends and spirit – are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life.”
When I first heard this analogy it struck something deep inside me. I certainly felt like whilst I couldn’t actually juggle in the physical realm I was definitely a master juggler in the metaphysical realm.
But I could never juggle fast enough to keep all the “balls” up in the air, I always felt whilst I was focusing on one, the others would eventually fall low enough that I would need to execute an emergency save before they all came crashing down around me 🤹♀️
And after I heard this analogy, I realised the one I inevitably always focused on was the rubber ball – work.
I would tell myself it was the only way, the only way I could provide for my family and they and my friends would understand if I couldn’t focus on them. And my health, and spirit, well they were low priorities of course because they were all about me, and didn’t I have to come in last?
I am super blessed that I didn’t shatter any of my glass balls, but I absolutely know I scuffed, marked, nicked and damaged some of them, sometimes irrevocably.
My personal development journey started somewhat later in life. Some may see it as a mid-life crisis, but as I have written about before, I am always thankful I had a mid-life awakening that ignited my spark for life again. It was luckily near the start of this journey that I first heard this analogy and it has absolutely left it’s indelible mark on how I have redesigned my life.
I’ve reduced the number of balls I juggle collapsing a couple of the balls into one. I now have three: health, relationships, wealth. And they’re not all made of the same material.
My health remains glass but toughened by its mental, physical and spiritual facets and I know the level at which it must be maintained for me to successfully juggle it with the other two. My relationships ball is made a little stronger, because I know if I was to drop my health it would shatter but relationships and wealth would survive to different degrees. My wealth ball remains made of rubber and whilst I am now better able to comfortably juggle all three and keep my “eye on the ball” that needs it most in each moment, I am clearly aware of my overarching prioritised focus – health, relationships, wealth.
If you are looking to ignite your spark for life again, for your health, for your relationships, for your wealth and if you’d like to know more about my “Dream Life” design, just send me a message and I’ll be happy to share with you the template my husband and I use to juggle this game of life 🤩
I have had (and still do have) so many people supporting me on my journey of self-development, I’d love to help you on yours. Whenever you’re ready, here are a few ways I can support you:
5 Steps to Ignite Your SPARK – download my ebook and find out how you can re-ignite your life, just like I did!
Take the High Performance Quiz – to understand if you’re ready to go to the next level and live a life full of engagement, joy and confidence 🙂
Book a Chat – so we can breakthrough what you’re currently challenged with or take the next action towards living the life of your dreams…
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