eat that frog!
DESCRIPTION
Eat that Frog! Learn how to stop procrastinating high value tasks that can move your life forward. This book discusses the importance of goal setting, creative procrastination, time management and creating priority ranking for all of your tasks. This slideshow is a comprehensive overview of Brian Tracy's book Eat That Frog! The basic premise of Eat That Frog is that we should focus on the highest payback, least-appealing task of the day FIRST, before anything else. He asserts that "your ability to select your most important task at each moment, and then to start on that task and get it done both quickly and well, will probably have more of an impact on your success than any other quality or skill you can develop!” According to the author, an average person who masters this one technique will run circles around a genius who talks a lot and makes wonderful plans, but gets very little done. (I know somebody like this, don’t you?) Furthermore, he says that "The ability to concentrate on this one important task, single-mindedly, to do it well, and to finish it completely is the key to great success, achievement, status and happiness in life.” Let's all go eat that frog! I love Brian Tracy's use of quotes in the book, and have included many of them in the slideshow. If you're looking to be more productive, stop procrastinating the important stuff (We can all use less procrastination, right?), start procrastinating more creatively (I like the sound of that!), and reach the goals you have yet to attain, I highly recommend utilizing this information! For another overview of the book, go herehttp://www.empowernetwork.com/teresabrown/eat-that-frog-stop-procrastinating-and-get-more-done/?id=teresabrown and learn more. Eat that frog today so tomorrow will be a better place :)!TRANSCRIPT
Eat That Frog!Eat That Frog!Stop Procrastinating! Get More Done in Less
Time
We’re swamped!We’re swamped!
You will never be caught up
There will always be “too many” work and personal responsibilities: a stack of magazines or a pile of books that you mean to get to, appointments to make, calls to place, cars to maintain, houses to clean/upkeep, kids to take care of, a boss to please, people to see, places to go, things to do…
Time Mgt. Helps, But…Time Mgt. Helps, But…
No matter how much you increase your productivity, you will never be caught up.
You’ll always be behind in some of your personal responsibilities and tasks….
Sometimes all of them!
SUCCESS SECRET…SUCCESS SECRET…
Select your most important task at each momentGet it done both quickly and wellKey to great success, achievement, status and happiness in life = The ability to concentrate on this one task, single mindedly, to do it well, and to finish it completely.
Go ahead, eat the frog!Go ahead, eat the frog!
"If the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, you can go through the day with the satisfaction of knowing that that is probably the worst thing that is going to happen to you all day long!" --Mark Twain
Got a FROG?Got a FROG?
The biggest and most important taskThe one you’re most likely to procrastinateThe one that can have the greatest impact on your success
Your choice…Your choice…
Pick the ugly one!
Mmmmmmmmm…Mmmmmmmmm…
Don’t sit and look at it!It only gets uglier Develop the lifelong habit of tackling your major task first thing each morning.
Frog legs, anyone?
Action Orientation…Action Orientation…
Consistently proven to be the key to success. You are paid to make a contribution. Failure to execute = most common reason for failure.95% of your success will be determined by the kind of action habits you develop over time.
Improve Your EfficiencyImprove Your EfficiencyConsistently proven to be the key to success. You are paid to make a contribution. Failure to execute = most common reason for failure.95% of your success will be determined by the kind of action habits you develop over time.
SUCCESS SECRETSUCCESS SECRET
You can develop a positive addiction to endorphins and to the feelings of enhanced clarity and confidence that they trigger. Begin to organize your life to beginning and completing your most important tasks at a subconscious level.This behavior takes on a power of its own. You find it easier to complete important tasks than it is NOT to complete them.
3 Key Qualities 3 Key Qualities for Efficiencyfor Efficiency
DecisionDisciplineDetermination
The 3 D’s
Definiteness of PurposeDefiniteness of Purpose
Napoleon Hill: There is one quality that one must possess to win, and that is definiteness of purpose – the knowledge of what one wants and a burning desire to achieve it.Fuzziness leads to FAILURE
RULE NUMBER 1RULE NUMBER 1
THINK – ON - PAPER3% of adults have written goals Accomplish 5-10X more
7 Steps / Power Formula7 Steps / Power FormulaStep 1 = Decide exactly what you want. Get crystal clear.Step 2 = Write it down! Create something that you can touch and see. (avoid wish or fantasy syndrome)Step 3 = Set a deadline on your goal / sub deadlines if necessary. Step 4 = Make a list of everything that you can think of that you are going to have to do to achieve your goal. Visual picture. DRAMATICALLY increases likelihood you’ll get it done.Step 5 = Organize the list into a plan by priority and sequence. Lay it out visually with boxes and arrows, if possible. Break it down into individual tasks.Step 6 = Take action on your plan immediately! Do something. Do anything! An average plan brilliantly executed is far better than a brilliant plan where nothing is being done.Step 7 = Resolve to do something every single day that moves you toward your major goal. Build this activity into your daily schedule. EX: Read a chapter, call X prospects, exercise X minutes, organize
one shelf, etc.
PlanningPlanning
“A“Action without planning is the cause of ction without planning is the cause of every failure.” – Alex MacKenzieevery failure.” – Alex MacKenzie
GOALS are the fuel in the furnace of achievement.Review them DAILY – 2X/dayDon’t stare at your frog all day – EAT IT FIRST THING!
Plan every day in Plan every day in advanceadvance
Your ability to set goals, make plans and take action on them determines the course of your life. A measure of your overall competence.Save yourself 1-2 hours throughout your day.
6 P’s6 P’s
PROPER PRIORPLANNINGPREVENTSPOORPERFORMANCE
10/90 RULE10/90 RULE
The first 10% you spend planning saves you 90% of the time to get it done.
4 Lists4 Lists
MasterMonthlyWeeklyDaily
Lay out major goals by priority. Start with the end in mind.Work backwards. Think on paper.
80/2080/20 Rule to EverythingRule to Everything ""We always have time enough, if we will We always have time enough, if we will but use but use
it right! “ -- Goetheit right! “ -- Goethe Pareto Principle 80/2020% of your activities will account for 80% of your resultsMost people (80% trivial many) never eat their whole FROG
SUCCESS RULESUCCESS RULE
Resist the temptation to clear up small things first! Whatever you do over and over becomes a lifelong habit that eventually becomes very difficult to break. When you consistently procrastinate the “Frog”, you develop the habit of completing LOW VALUE tasks first. Is this the kind of habit you want to develop????
Time Management = Time Management = Life ManagementLife Management
Exercises: Exercises: 1. List all key goals, activities, projects, responsibilities in your life today. Determine which are the top 10-20% that represent 80-90% of your results.2. Spend more of your time in those few areas that can make a difference, and less in lower value activities.
Long Term ThinkingLong Term Thinking
Mark of a superior person = ability to accurately predict the consequences of doing or not doing something. “What if I DON’T do this?” Long time perspective is the single most accurate predictor of upward socio and economic mobility in America.
SUCCESS RULESUCCESS RULE
Long-term thinking improves short-term decision making! Successful people have a clear future orientation.Having a good idea what you want to accomplish in the long term makes it easier for you to set your priorities in your short term.Important tasks = long term impact.
SUCCESS RULE ReviewSUCCESS RULE Review
Successful people delay gratification.
Ex: coming to work earlier, focusing on high value tasks, reading books
in your fields, work late vs. socializing at the water cooler Unsuccessful people think more about short-term pleasure without much thought to the future.
ACTION EXERCISEACTION EXERCISE
Review your list of tasks, activities, and projects regularly and ask yourself:
"Which one project or activity, if I did it in an excellent and timely fashion, would have the greatest positive impact on my life?"
Practice Creative Practice Creative ProcrastinationProcrastination
Say “NO” to anything not of high valueSet priorities (do it now or soon) and posteriorties (do it later or never)Decide what you will NOT do now.List everything you have to do for the coming day.
Continually ReviewContinually Review
Creative Procrastination = contributes to your successYou can only get your life and your time to the degree that your discontinue LOW VALUE activities.
Ask Yourself…Ask Yourself…
“What can I put off now until my more important goals are achieved?”
TThe “ABCDE” Methodhe “ABCDE” Method““The first law of success is concentration – to The first law of success is concentration – to bend all the energies to one point, and to go bend all the energies to one point, and to go directly to that point, looking neither to the right directly to that point, looking neither to the right or to the left.” or to the left.”
--William Mathews--William Mathews
A= Major ConsequencesB = Mildly Important / TadpolesC = Nice to doD = DelegateE = Eliminate
SUCCESS RULESUCCESS RULE
NEVER do a “B” Task before you complete your “A” Task for the day
SUCCESS RULESUCCESS RULE
Every minute spent on an E task is time away from the important, life altering tasks.
Key to SuccessKey to Success
When you begin to continuously tackle your “A” Tasks first, you will see yourself getting more done than most people around you.
Focus on “Key Result Focus on “Key Result Areas”Areas”
“When every physical and mental resource is “When every physical and mental resource is focused, one’s power to solve a problem multiplies focused, one’s power to solve a problem multiplies tremendously.” tremendously.”
-- Norman Vincent Peale -- Norman Vincent Peale
Ask Yourself….Why are you on the payroll?What are my highest value activities?What can I, and only I do that, if done well, will really make a difference?
Key Result AreaKey Result Area
An activity that YOU are totally responsible for.Major contributing factor to you and others’ success.When you complete it, it triggers activities of others.
Key Result AreaKey Result AreaGrade Yourself on Key Result AreasYour weakest sets the standard at which you can use all your other skills and abilitiesYou can be exceptional at all but one, but your poor performance in that area will act as a DRAG on your total resultsHolds you back from using all your other skills
Do you stink at it?Do you stink at it?
Most people put off, or avoid all together, tasks they feel they’re not great at.Improve this one FIRSTThe better you become at it, the more motivated you will be to get it done!
Law of Forced EfficiencyLaw of Forced Efficiency
You cannot eat every tadpole and frog in the pond, but you can eat the biggest and ugliest one, and that will be enough, at least for the time being. Your most powerful thinking tool for success is your ability to discriminate between one priority and another.
The Law of ThreeThe Law of Three
Three core tasks that you perform that contribute to most of your value.
For Example:• Lead Generation• Converting• Follow-up
Got a big frog?Got a big frog?Remember to ask, “What one skill, if I developed and did it in an excellent fashion, will have the GREATEST POSITIVE IMPACT on my success?”Do first things first and second things not at all. "The things that matter most must never "The things that matter most must never be at the mercy of the things that matter be at the mercy of the things that matter least." least."
-- Goethe-- Goethe
Prepare ThoroughlyPrepare ThoroughlyHave everything you need before you beginClear your deskONE task in front of you at a timeLos Angeles Times reporter on Wilshire Boulevard interviewed passers by...he asked them one question: "How is your script coming?" Three out of four passersby replied, "Almost done!" Translation: “Not started yet!”
Prepare ThoroughlyPrepare Thoroughly
Look at your desk or office and ask…“What kind of person works in an environment like that?”
•Is it Effective, Efficient, Ready?
Do Your HomeworkDo Your Homework“The only certain means of success is to render “The only certain means of success is to render more and better service than is expected of you, more and better service than is expected of you, no matter what your task may be.” -- Og Mandinono matter what your task may be.” -- Og Mandino
Learn what you need to learn so you can do your work in an excellent fashion.Upgrade your skills
Continuous LearningContinuous Learning “ “If you’re not getting better, you’re getting If you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse.” worse.”
-- Pat Riley-- Pat Riley
Minimum RequirementBecome a “Do-it-yourself” projectThe more you learn, the more you can learn – build your learning muscle.
Leverage Your TalentsLeverage Your Talents
What are you really good at?What do I enjoy most?What has been most responsible for your success in the past?
ID Your Key ConstraintsID Your Key Constraints
What’s holding you back?Why aren’t you at your goal already?Why don’t you eat your frog?
Your Limiting FactorYour Limiting Factor
Concentrate your mental energies on it.It’s always thereIt’s your job to find itIt’s your job to fix it80/20 Rule – 80% of your limiting factors are INTERNAL =
Your personal qualities, abilities, habits, actions, competencies
20% are external
Snack on your FROGSnack on your FROG
“Slice and dice” it.“By the yard it’s hard; but inch by inch, anything’s a cinch!”Get your mind off the HUGE taskGo as far as you can seeThen you’ll see far enough to go further
Snack on your FROGSnack on your FROG
Financial independence achieved by putting a bit aside over time, month by month.Physical fitness achieved by eating a little less and exercising a little more, day by day, week after week.Take one step to get started…..THE START IS THE HARDEST PART.
Put the Pressure on Put the Pressure on YourselfYourself
No one is coming to your rescue!Take Charge!!!Only 2% of people can work without supervision.We call them LEADERS.
Choose Your Own Frog…Choose Your Own Frog…
…and make yourself eat it!You build up or pull down your reputation with yourself with everything you do.Accomplish great things – feel great!Remember “The day before vacation?”Raise your own bar.
Maximize Your Maximize Your Personal PowersPersonal Powers
Get plenty of restTackle your frog in times of high energyTake one full day off each week.Recharge. Take Vacations.The better you feel, the less you procrastinate.
Become Your Own Become Your Own CheerleaderCheerleader
Coach yourself95% of your emotions, positive or negative, are determined by how you talk to yourself on a minute to minute basis. Become a complete optimistBoost your own self-esteem"I can do it! I can do it!" “I feel terrific!”
Optimists Optimists
Look for the good in every situationSeek the lesson in every setbackLook for the solution to every problemAccept complete responsibility
A Work in ProgressA Work in Progress
Realize that you’re always growing and changing.Dedicate yourself to developing the habits of high productivity by practicing them repeatedly until they become automatic and easy. “Just for today.”
Create Large Chunks of Create Large Chunks of TimeTime
Commit to work at scheduled times on large tasks. Most of the really important work you do requires large chunks of unbroken time to complete. Carving out these blocks of high value, highly productive time, is central to your ability to make a significant contribution to your work and to your life.
Make Every Minute Make Every Minute CountCount
When you’re “at work”, WORKDon’t dilly-dallyJump into the business of eating your frog
OOOOOOhhhh, that thing’s ugly!
Develop A Sense of Develop A Sense of UrgencyUrgency “Do not wait; the time will never be ‘just right.’ Start where “Do not wait; the time will never be ‘just right.’ Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go your command, and better tools will be found as you go
along.” -- Napoleon Hillalong.” -- Napoleon Hill Urgency = An inner desire and drive to get it done fast.Fast TempoGet in the FLOWWork steadily and smoothly
Activate the Activate the Momentum PrincipleMomentum Principle
It may take tremendous amounts of energy to overcome inertia and get going initially, but it then takes far less energy to keep going. The faster you move, the more energy you have.Shifts you to the fast track“Do it now!”, “Do it now!”, “Do it now!”
Just eat it already!Just eat it already!
Once you’ve decided on your Once you’ve decided on your Number ONE task, anything else Number ONE task, anything else that you do other than that is a that you do other than that is a waste of time. waste of time.
Self-discipline, self-mastery and Self-discipline, self-mastery and self-control are the building blocks self-control are the building blocks of character and high performance.of character and high performance.