EAT THAT FROG!

Brian Tracy

Introduction

 choice: immediately or later on

 first thing in morning; without taking too much time to think about it
 launch directly on the major task single-mindedly
 task completion gives you a positive feeling
 endorphins give you a natural high; secrets of success - positive addiction to endorphins
 completion of important tasks will make you feel terrific
 practice is the key any mastering skill

3 qualities
 decision
 discipline
 determination
o habit is locked in
o highly productive
o action-oriented
o who gets important job consistently and well
 visualize yourself as a successful person, as an individual with virtually unlimited capability

Chapter 1: Set the table

 definiteness of purpose; clarity

 rule: think on paper
1. decide exactly what you want
2. write it down - goal is tangible
3. set a deadline on your goal
4. make a list of every activity needed to achieve your goal
5. organize to a plan; prioritize; layout your plan
6. take action on your plan immediately
7. resolve to do something that contribute to your goal; keep moving
 clear-written goals stimulate you; overcome procrastination
 the bigger goals, the more excited are you to achieve them
 write your goals on a clean sheet of paper; personal and positive, past tense; ex: I weighed
60 kg by the end of November
 select one goal from the ten list; set a deadline
 do something every single day to move you forward to that goal

Chapter 2: Plan every day in advance

 how do eat an elephant? one bite at a time

 action without planning is the cause of every failure
 easier it is to overcome procrastination
 proper prior planning prevents poor performance
  piece of paper, pen; always work from a list
 night before; subconscious mind work on the list while you sleep
o a master list you want to do something in the future
o a monthly list
o a weekly list - plan your week in advance
o daily list - plan what you will accomplish the following day
 10-90 rule: first 10% spends on planning saves you as much as 90% of the time on getting
the job time
 layout by priority, importance

Chapter 3: 80-20 principle

 20% of your activity will account 80% of your results

 the most important is invariably the frog - this task belong to my top 20% value tasks
 pride and satisfaction after completion of an important tasks
 must have the ability to choose between important and not important tasks

Chapter4: Consider the consequences

 long time perspective: key determinant in your success in life

 rule: long term thinking improves short term decision making
 clear future orientation
 something that is important has a long term potential
 delay gratifications and make sacrifices in the short term so that they can enjoy far greater
rewards in the long term
 review list regularly
 which one have the greatest positive impact in my life; just begin and the mind grows
heated; continue and the task will be completed

Chapter 5: Continue ABCDE method continually

 first law of success: concentration

 think on paper
o A - very important frog of your life (A1,A2,A3,… )
o B - should do; mild consequences; never do a B tasks when there is an A task left
undone
o C - nice to do; calling a friend; no effect at all
o D - delegate to someone else; anyone else can do
o E - you can eliminate altogether; irrelevant;
 discipline yourself not to do anything else until you finished A

Chapter 6: Focus on key resolve areas

 identify the key resolve area of your work

 determine the one key skill that if done excellently would have the greatest positive impact
on your career
 never stop improving
Chapter 7: Obey the law of force efficiency

 concentration - ability to focus the mind on one single solitary thing

 rule: there will not be enough time to do all the things you have to do; so eat the biggest
frog
 3 questions:
o what are my highest value activities
o what can I and only I do that if done well will make a real difference
o what is the most valuable use of my time right now
 relax and think about your activity; no distraction

Chapter 8: Prepare thoroughly before you begin

 one of the best way: everything you need in hand before you begin
 create a work area that you enjoy working
 assume the body of high performance

Chapter 9: Do your homework

 a major reason for procrastination: a feeling of inadequacy

 if you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse
 the better you are, the more enthusiastic you are
 continuous learning is the minimum requirement for success; ex: typing software 20-30
minutes
 educational audio programs while driving
 the more you learn, the more you can learn
 limits: imagination
 do it yourself project;
 core skills: typing, writing, speaking
 resolve be the very best in every goal you do

Chapter 10: Leverage your special talents

 you are remarkable; you have special talents

 identify your special areas of uniqueness
o what you really love to do?
o what are the things that you do well?
o what has been most responsible for my success in the past

Chapter 11: Identify are key constraints

 the sun rays don’t burn until it is brought into a focus

 concentrate your mental energy
 what are your limiting factors?
 80% of the constraints are internal
 what is it in me that is holding me back?
Chapter 12: Take it one oil barrel at a time

 by the yard it's hard, but inch by inch, anything is a cinch

 one step at a time quickly and well
 complete confidence
 eating a little less and exercising a little more

Chapter 13: Put a pressure on yourself

 apply incessantly without growing weary

 not waiting for someone else to do it for you
 start a little earlier, work a little harder, and stay a little later
 go the extra mile
 working as though you only have one day to get all your most important jobs done before
you left for a month or went on a vacation
 rapid task completion; set deadlines and sub deadlines
 create your own forcing system; stick to it and beat it
 organize time segments

Chapter 14: Maximize your personal powers

 guard and nurture your energy levels at all time

 the more tired you get , the worst is your work and the more mistakes you make
 all I can do is all I can do
 take one full day off every week
o go to a movie; spend time with your family
o a change is as good as a rest
 be careful at what you eat; avoid sugar, salt, soft drinks and candy bars
 make an analysis of your current energy level and your daily health habits
o what am I doing physically that I should do more of?
o what am I doing physically that I should do less of?
o what am I not doing that I should start doing if I want to perform at my best

Chapter 15: Motivate yourself into action

 you must become your own cheerleader

 talk to yourself; keep yourself motivated; you must resolve to become a complete optimist
o I like myself. I like myself.
o I can do it. I can do it.
o I feel terrific. I feel terrific.
 Optimism is the most important quality you can develop for personal and professional
success and happiness
o look for the good
o seek the valuable lesson
 difficulties comes not to obstruct but to instruct
 o always look for the solution to every problem
 action-oriented; what can we do now?; think about their goals
 talk to yourself in the positive way
 control your thoughts remember, you become what you think about most of the time
 accepting self responsibilities

Chapter 16: Practice creative procrastination

 rule: you can get your time and your life under control only to the degree to which you
discontinue lower value activity
 say no to anything that is not a high value use of your time and your life.
 you have no spare time, your dance card is full
 for you to do something new, you must complete or stop doing something old
 identify your time consuming tasks
 do something that enhances your life
 free up more time for the work that really counts
 practice zero base thinking
o if I was doing this already, knowing what I now know, would I get into it again today?

Chapter 17: Do the most difficult tasks first

 invincible determination
 start work by doing your most difficult task first
 make a list of everything you have to do the next day
 apply ABCDE rule with 80-20 rule
 do it never look back
 see yourself as a work in progress
 do it just for today

Chapter 18: Slice and dice the task

 salami slice method

 one slice of the job; one piece at a time
 an urge to completion; bring finality to a job
 Swiss cheese method
 action-oriented; don't delay, try it today

Chapter 19: Create large chunks of time

 working in a specific time period for a particular task; discipline yourself to keep them
 time planner; organized in advance; blocks of time in concerted work; without interruptions
 every minute of time counts
 the pyramid is built one block at a time
Chapter 20: Develop a sense of urgency

 don't wait; the time will never be just right...

 think, plan and set priorities
 state of flow; you feel elated and clear; you feel happy and energized; you function on
higher plane of clarity, creativity and competence
 develop a sense of urgency; racing against yourself
 start moving and keep moving at a steady rate
 momentum principle of success
 do it now, do it now, do it now...
 back to work, back to work, back to work...

Chapter 21: Single-handle every task

 learn by constant practice

 long period of concentrated work; by concentrating single-mindedly without diversion
 the more you discipline yourself to working nonstop, the more you move forward along the
efficiency curve
 self discipline - the ability to make yourself do what you should do when you should do it
whether you feel like it or not
 persistence is self discipline in action
 discipline yourself to persist even more without diversion or distraction; once you begin,
refuse to stop until the job is finished
 you are the master of your own destiny

Summary

1. set the table

o decide exactly what you want; clarity is essential
2. plan every day in advance
o think on paper; planning save you in execution
3. apply the 80-20 rule
o concentrate your effort on the top 20
4. consider the consequences
5. practice ABCDE method continually
o by value and priority
6. focus on key resolve areas
7. obey the law of force efficiency
8. prepare thoroughly before you begin
9. do your homework
10. leverage your special talent
o identify your key talent
11. identify your key constraints
o internally or externally
o focus on alleviating their constraints
 12. one barrel at a time
13. put a pressure on yourself
14. maximize your personal powers
o most productive time gets a lot of rest
15. motivate yourself into action
o look for the good; optimistic
16. practice creative procrastination
17. do the most difficult task first
o most important
18. slice and dice the task
19. create large chunks of time
o concentrate on your most important tasks
20. develop a sense of urgency
21. single handle every task

JUST DO IT AND EAT THAT FROG!