Eat That Frog

 
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Eat That Frog! Your most powerful thinking tool for success is your 
ability to discriminate between one priority and another. Take a few 
minutes each day and sit quietly where you cannot be disturbed. 
During this time, let your mind relax and just think about your work 
and activities, without stress or pressure. 
In almost every case, during this time of solitude, you will receive 
wonderful insights and ideas that will save you enormous amounts 
of time when you apply them back on the job. Often you will 
experience breakthroughs that will change the direction of your life 
and work. 
 
 
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Chapter 8 - Prepare Thoroughly Before You Begin 
 
“No matter what the level of your ability, you have more potential than you 
can ever develop in a lifetime.” (James T. McKay) 
One of the best ways for you to overcome procrastination and get 
more things done faster is for you to have everything you need at 
hand before you begin. When you are fully prepared, you are like a 
cocked gun or an archer with an arrow pulled back taut in the bow. 
You just need one small mental push to get started on your highest 
value tasks. 
This is like getting everything ready to prepare a complete meal, such 
as eating a big frog. You get all the ingredients out on the counter in 
front of you and then begin putting the dinner together, one step at a 
time. 
Begin by clearing off your desk or workspace so that you only have 
one task in front of you. If necessary, put everything on the floor or 
on the table behind you. Gather all the information, reports, details, 
papers, and work materials that you will require to complete the job. 
Have them at hand so you can reach them without getting up or 
moving. 
 
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Be sure that you have all writing materials, computer disks, access 
codes, email addresses and everything else you need to start and 
continue working until the job is done. 
Set up your work area so that it is comfortable, attractive and 
conducive to working for long periods. Especially, make sure that 
you have a comfortable chair that supports your back and allows 
your feet to sit flat on the floor.
The most productive people take the time to create a work area 
where they enjoy spending time. The cleaner and neater your work 
area before you begin, the easier it is for you to get started and keep 
going. 
One of the great techniques for overcoming procrastination (eating 
frogs) is for you to get everything completely ready to work in 
advance. When everything is laid out in order and sequence, you feel 
much more like getting on with the job.
It is amazing how many books never get written, how many degrees 
never get completed, how many life changing tasks never get started 
because people fail to take the first step of preparing everything in 
advance. 
 
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Los Angeles attracts people from all over America who dream of 
writing a successful movie script and selling it to one of the studios. 
They move to Los Angeles and work at low level jobs for years while 
they dream of writing and selling a popular script. 
Recently, the Los Angeles Times sent a reporter out onto Wilshire 
Boulevard to interview passers by. When people came along, he 
asked them one question: "How is your script coming?" Three out of 
four passersby replied, "Almost done!" 
The sad fact is that "almost done" probably meant "not yet started." 
Don’t let this happen to you. 
When you sit down, with everything in front of you, ready to go, 
assume the body language of high performance. Sit up straight, sit 
forward and away from the back of the chair. Carry yourself as 
though you were an efficient, effective high performing personality. 
Then, pick up the first item and say to yourself, "Let's get to work!" 
and plunge in. And once you've started, keep going until the job is 
finished.