Eat that frog by Brian Tracy
If you're a professional procrastinator and find yourself itching to rearrange your workstation, redecorate your space, or clean out your phone storage before you begin that extremely important assignment, this book is for you.
One of the more actionable self-help books I've read, sentences from Eat the Frog literally caused me to put the book down, get up, and go “eat the frog”. A book's quality, in my opinion, is demonstrated by the ability of its words to inspire action and Brian Tracy has provided extremely helpful guidance both explicitly and through the garb of thought-provoking analogies.
Examples include the author's advice to consume a frog rather than watching and mulling over the meal. And if there’s more than one frog, it's best to eat the biggest and ugliest one first, or, to put it simply, "do the worst first." Another entertaining illustration involves cutting an elephant (a task) into bite-sized pieces so they’re easier to swallow (accomplish).
It is a quick read that you may complete in one sitting. Here are the book's main takeaways in case you don't:
Think on Paper:
Write down your goals in detail. Written goals function as a powerful magnet.
Brian Tracy lists 7 simple steps to "think on paper”:
Step 1: Decide exactly what you want.
Step 2: Write it down.
Step 3: Set a deadline (and a sub deadline, if necessary).
Step 4: List all the steps you must take to accomplish the goal.
Step 5: Compile the list into a plan (by priority and sequence of events).
Step 6. Take action: Do anything, do something.
Step 7. Make a commitment to taking action daily to advance toward your objective.
Get rid of the tadpoles and focus on the frogs:
Determine the high-value things you can undertake in your life that, if done correctly, will truly make a difference. Keep in mind that this task should be something no one but you can do and do excellently. Consider doing this first because it will likely be the most beneficial use of your time.
Apply the ABCDE formula:
Outsource, delegate, and abandon the menial tasks.
A task: Very important, something you MUST do
B task: Something you SHOULD do.
C Task: Inconsequential tasks that would be nice to do
D task: Tasks that can be delegated to free up your time
E task: Eliminate completely
Identify key constraints:
Why haven't you already accomplished your goal? These are your limiting factors. These might be anything from issues with psychological thinking, overreliance on one person, or a lack of resources. The goal is to concentrate efforts on these key areas and overcome the major bottlenecks.
Gamify the process:
Set a higher standard for yourself and put pressure on yourself. Take immediate action. Imagine you NEED to leave town for a month. What would you absolutely make sure got done? This is what you should be working on. Successful people lead themselves; unsuccessful people need to be supervised and led by others.
Improve your mental narrative:
Repeat to yourself positive affirmations such as "I like myself" and "I can do it."
When asked “How do you feel?”, reply "I feel fantastic."
Sharing problems with others is a futile exercise. 80% don’t care and 20% are glad you got them.
Learn to be an optimist:
Find the positive in every situation. Discover a lesson in every failure. Look for a solution to every problem "Everything happens for a reason" and "Calm seas never made a good sailor.” Practice visualizing, infamously known as the Law of Attraction and Manifestation. Believe you can and you're halfway there.
Give yourself a weekly day off:
A full day off each week during which you choose not to engage in any "productive" activities but instead rest and spend time with your family. This would serve as a mental break and get your creative juices flowing freely. "You are always the most productive after a restful weekend or vacation”
Build discipline, good habits, & learn to enter the state of flow:
Use the 3 D’s of habit formation – Decision, Discipline, and Determination.
For more on habits, review of bestsellers Power of Habit and Atomic Habits coming soon.