Eat That Frog

 
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Chapter 1 - Set the Table 
 
“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.” ( Napoleon Hill ) 
Before you can determine your “frog” and get on with eating it, you 
have to decide exactly what it is you want to accomplish in each area 
of your life. Clarity is the most important concept in personal 
productivity. The number one reason why some people get more 
work done faster is because they are absolutely clear about their 
goals and objectives and they don’t deviate from them. 
The more clear you are about what you want and what you have to 
do to achieve it, the easier it is for you to overcome procrastination, 
eat your frog and get on with the completion of the task. 
A major reason for procrastination and lack of motivation is 
vagueness, confusion and fuzzy mindedness about what it is you are 
supposed to do, and in what order and for what reason. You must 
avoid this common condition with all your strength by striving for 
ever greater clarity in everything you do. 
Here is a great rule for success: "Think on paper." 
 
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Only about 3% of adults have clear, written goals. These people 
accomplish five and ten times as much as people of equal or better 
education and ability but who, for whatever reason, have never taken 
the time to write out exactly what it is they want. 
There is a powerful formula for setting and achieving goals that you 
can use for the rest of your life. It consists of seven simple steps. Any 
one of these steps can double and triple your productivity if you are 
not currently using it. Many of my graduates have increased their 
incomes dramatically in a matter of a few years, or even a few 
months, with this simple, seven-part method. 
Step number one: Decide exactly what you want. 
Either decide for yourself or sit down with your boss and discuss 
your goals and objectives until you are absolutely, crystal clear about 
what is expected of you and in what order of priority. It is amazing 
how many people are working away, day after day, on low value 
tasks because they have not had this critical discussion with their 
manager.
Rule: “One of the very worst uses of time is to do something very 
well that need not be done at all.” 
 
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Stephen Covey says that, "Before you begin scrambling up the ladder 
of success, make sure that it is leaning against the right building." 
Step number two: Write it down.
Think on paper. When you write your goal down, you crystallize it 
and give it tangible form. You create something that you can touch 
and see. On the other hand, a goal or objective that is not in writing is 
merely a wish or a fantasy. It has no energy behind it. Unwritten 
goals lead to confusion, vagueness, misdirection and numerous 
mistakes. 
Step number three: Set a deadline on your goal.
A goal or decision without a deadline has no urgency. It has no real 
beginning or end. Without a definite deadline accompanied by the 
assignment or acceptance of specific responsibilities for completion, 
you will naturally procrastinate and get very little done. 
Step number four: Make a list of everything that you can think of that 
you are going to have to do to achieve your goal.
As you think of new activities, add them to your list. Keep building 
your list until it is complete. A list gives you a visual picture of the 
larger task or objective. It gives you a track to run on. It dramatically 
 
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increases the likelihood that you will achieve your goal as you have 
defined it and on schedule. 
Step number five: Organize the list into a plan.
Organize your list by priority and sequence. Take a few minutes to 
decide what you need to do first and what you can do later. Decide 
what has to be done before something else and what needs to be 
done afterwards. Even better, lay out your plan visually, in the form 
of a series of boxes and circles on a sheet of paper. You’ll be amazed 
at how much easier it is to achieve your goal when you break it down 
into individual tasks. 
With a written goal and an organized plan of action, you will be far 
more productive and efficient than someone who is carrying his goals 
around in his mind. 
Step number six: Take action on your plan immediately.
Do something. Do anything. An average plan vigorously executed is 
far better than a brilliant plan on which nothing is done. For you to 
achieve any kind of success, execution is everything. 
Step number seven: Resolve to do something every single day that 
moves you toward your major goal. 
 
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Build this activity into your daily schedule. Read a specific number of 
pages on a key subject. Call on a specific number of prospects or 
customers. Engage in a specific period of physical exercise. Learn a 
certain number of new words in a foreign language. Never miss a 
day. 
Keep pushing forward. Once you start moving, keep moving. Don’t 
stop. This decision, this discipline alone, can make you one of the 
most productive and successful people of your generation.
Clear written goals have a wonderful effect on your thinking. They 
motivate you and galvanize you into action. They stimulate your 
creativity, release your energy and help you to overcome 
procrastination as much as any other factor. 
Goals are the fuel in the furnace of achievement. The bigger your 
goals and the clearer they are, the more excited you become about 
achieving them. The more you think about your goals, the greater 
becomes your inner drive and desire to accomplish them.
Think about your goals and review them daily. Every morning when 
you begin, take action on the most important task you can 
accomplish to achieve your most important goal at the moment.