“3 Rocks and Sand" Theory

The concept is simple. Imagine a jar. If you fill it with sand first, there’s no room left for the big rocks. But if you place the rocks in first, you can still pour sand around them. In this metaphor, the rocks represent your top priorities, while the sand is everything else—minor tasks and daily distractions.

I use this metaphor to organize my life, setting clear boundaries around my “rocks” and dedicating time to each. I split my day into three 8-hour blocks, one for each major priority.

Rock #1 – Family

Family is the most important rock. If neglected, it's almost impossible to make up for the lost time. No amount of business success or money can compensate.

For me, this includes quality time with my kids—playing, talking, helping them, and sharing meals. It also means spending meaningful time with my wife—watching shows, learning languages together, or just talking. There's also the daily routine: getting the kids ready for kindergarten, driving them to practices or classes, and all the small moments that add up over time.

These moments might seem minor, but they are crucial in the long run.

Rock #2 – Health

Health comes next, and it's always about three simple pillars: sleep, exercise, and healthy food.

Building a routine around these is tough and easy to lose. A few nights of poor sleep (thanks to a restless baby), and the whole routine falls apart. But I always restart. I aim for at least 7 hours of sleep, 45 minutes of activity, and I cut out sweets and junk food.

Whenever I slip, I remind myself: poor health means less time with family and lower productivity at work.

Rock #3 – Business

This is the most unpredictable rock, especially when starting from scratch. To stay focused, I set three clear priorities each week and stick to them. I try, I fuck up, and I try again.

I avoid “fake work”—things that feel productive but don’t actually move the business forward, like endlessly tweaking technology or making cosmetic improvements. It’s easy to justify these tasks, but unless they’re validated by customers, they don’t really matter.

The key is to strip the business down to essentials: focus on the core product or service, not the decorations.

Simple, But Not Easy

Staying focused on these priorities is easier said than done. I don’t meditate or fill my calendar with back-to-back plans. Instead, I tattooed a reminder on my forearm—so I can see it anytime and refocus on what truly matters.