In the book Eat That Frog! Brian Tracy recommends that you learn to focus on the most challenging tasks first thing in the morning. However, with this strategy, your most important projects sometimes get left until last or don’t get done at all. So, don’t eat the frog first thing in the morning. Instead, eat passion fruit.
However, you might resist getting up in the morning if you know you always have to eat a frog right away. To create a sense of anticipation for the day, instead, wake up and eat passion fruit.
The so-called “right things,” even if needle movers, often end up being those you must do but possibly not what you want to do. That strategy won’t inspire you to rush to take on that task. In fact, it may be why you procrastinate.
Think of the tasks on your list that aren’t getting done. Are there any passion projects, ones you want to complete—and that might move the needle personally or professionally—but that get put off ? They are important to you, but other things take priority over getting started on or finishing these passion projects.
If so, here’s a different strategy: First thing in the morning, tackle your passion projects. If you do, you will wake up every day excited and inspired. And when you complete that task, you’ll feel fulfilled and as if you have taken a step to fulfill your purpose and achieve your potential.
In the past, I’ve complained about not getting to my passion projects. I have coaching clients, customer issues, blog posts to write, and more that have taken priority. The new books, the articles for publications, and the emails about speaking gigs, all of which I really want to do and know will help my career progress, remain undone and at the bottom of the to-do list…until recently. These days, I schedule time for them first thing in the morning. In fact, I get up early and spend the first block of my work day focused on one of these passion projects.
Some projects you’ll get done no matter what–like my blog posts. You may still procrastinate about starting or finishing these tasks, but you know they will get done. Make them your second t0-do item for the day—the frog. Of do something challenging that moves you forward during your second block of work time; then tackle the tasks you know you’ll get done no matter what.
But always make your first to-do item eating the passion fruit. This makes eating that frog second a bit easier to stomach.
Do you eat the frog or the passion fruit first thing in the morning?
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