The Five Balls of Life

B2 – Upper Intermediate 

Brian Dyson, former Coca-Cola CEO, made some speeches in his lifetime that had left a mark on everyone and several of them have gone viral since.

One of them is the one about what he calls, “The Five Balls of Life”.

Find out what “the five balls of life” is about. 

Be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://shinecoachingbarcelona.com/5-balls-of-life-brian-dyson-speech

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “irrevocably” mean? “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.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘irrevocably‘ in your own sentence.
  2. What does “pillar” mean here, “Connecting with these pillars of who you are is a great way to grow energy, confidence and clarity.”? Use this word in a sentence in the same context.
  3. What does “to be at a crossroads” mean? “If you find yourself at a similar crossroads in your career and life, take some real time to reflect on yourself.” Use this phrase in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. In your own words, explain the five balls of life. Share your takeaway from this metaphor.
  2. Share your opinion on this, “You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back.”
  3. Is it really possible to juggle the five balls of life? How do you keep all of them in the air?
  4. How would you answer Dyson’s question, “What is education for? Is it for the pursuit of knowledge or for the pursuit of significance?“? Expand.
  5. Do many of us tend to use education for life or just as a living? Share your point of view.
  6. What is your own personal mantra when it comes to balancing work and life?
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2 replies on “The Five Balls of Life”

1. In your own words, explain the five balls of life. Share your takeaway from this metaphor.
The 5 spheres of life in this speech given by Brian Dyson are a metaphor that invites us to reflect and think our own values in life. It means that the five spheres of life are work, family, friends, health, and spirit, and that it’s important to find balance in these five spheres. Work has a positive impact, but be careful with the rest of life, as neglecting them can damage you irrevocably.
I,m totally agree with this speech.
2. Share your opinion on this, “You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back.”
My opinion on this is that work is important to earn money in life, and to feel productive or useful to society, but without overdoing it because the time you spend working, you neglect other facets of your life and time is the only thing you can’t get back in life. You neglect your work, it will always have second chances and can be temporarily recovered, but if you neglect the rest of the spheres in your life, you will never be able to recover them.
3. Is it really possible to juggle the five balls of life? How do you keep all of them in the air?.
Although it’s very complicated because it depends on many factors in your life, I believe that if you really want it, it’s possible.
4. How would you answer Dyson’s question, “What is education for? Is it for the pursuit of knowledge or for the pursuit of significance?“? Expand.
Well, my personal answer is that I see education as a tool in life to help us grow both professionally and personally, allowing us to live more fulfilling and purposeful lives.
5. Do many of us tend to use education for life or just as a living? Share your point of view.
It depends a lot on each person’s perspective and how they value education. Some people see it only as a means to earn money and advance their career. On the other hand, there are those who use education as a tool for life, learning not only for work, but also to better understand the world, improve as people, and develop skills that help them in different aspects of their lives. I believe the ideal would be to find a balance so that education helps us grow both professionally and personally.
6. What is your own personal mantra when it comes to balancing work and life?.
I work to live, not live to work.

Interesting insights about the five balls of life.

Take a look at a better way to write this sentence:

You neglect your work, it will always have second chances and can be temporarily recovered, but if you neglect the rest of the spheres in your life, you will never be able to recover them.

If you neglect your work, you will always have a second chance and can be immediately recovered, but if you neglect the rest of the spheres in your life, you will never be able to recover them.

Keep practicing to see more and more progress in your writing skills.

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