I am re-reading Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy. I’ve been meaning to get back to it for a bit, but it seems time just slips by. It’s a book on how to stop procrastinating. I have thought about re-reading it a number of times, just hadn’t gotten around to it.
Today I decided that’s it! No more procrastinating! I am going to not only read Eat That Frog, but I am going to have my highlighter and pen handy!!
You know, that’s the first step and the sixth step. Decide what you want and take action. That’s precisely what I did. Once I boarded the plane and got settled, I grabbed out my book, highlighter and pen and as soon as tray tables could be used, I stepped into action.
This last weekend I attended Mosaic LA, Â and the ‘Into The Unknown’ conference. It was a game changer.
You know that feeling, of opening the drawer, and it’s Saturday, the weather is perfect, and you slip on those jeans? You know, the ones that fit just right, that help you walk with just a bit more swag than usual, the ones that when you put them on you know that it’s gonna be a good day?
Yeah…. that’s how I have come out of that conference. Ready to step Into the Unknown.
But…. I know me. If I don’t immediately implement some sort of plan of action in my life, this feeling will come and go as fast as it came on; and I will be left with discouragement and disappointment in myself.
Have you ever experienced that?
My mentor, Pat Birtles, leader, community builder, architect and all around great guy; has told me that the best way to overcome that is to take action.
But how – becomes the question.
So, I decided to pull out some ‘self help’ books, to get some direction.
I like how Brian Tracy laid out that book. It is in small doses which works well for me. I read just a few pages, and am able to practice implementing right away.
But frogs? Really? Mr. Tracy explains that if we look at our tasks as frogs, the best thing we can do is get the biggest ugliest one eaten (or completed) first. We then feel a sense of accomplishment and are able to complete more tasks as the day goes on. It’s all about not procrastinating and all about priorities.
Taking these concepts in mind, and adding Jeff Olson’s The Slight Edge can really propel one in the right direction for success in their life. In his book, part of what Mr. Olson teaches is to take small consistent steps towards your end goal and to do a bit more than before.
Which brings to mind ‘put one foot in front of the other’, you know, that Christmas song, where he’s helping the frosty old guy change from bad to good? It’s as simple as ‘put one foot in front of the other and soon you’ll be walking across the floor’? (If you don’t know it, check it out on YouTube, then it will get stuck in your head all day like it did mine!! Haha!)
It blows my mind as I read and implement these leadership and self help materials that often times it is the little things that make all of the difference.
As simple as taking action to make a plan, implementing the plan, sticking to it consistently day by day, and keeping track. Because overcoming procrastination can be done, and the victories are sweet, when one looks back at what has been accomplished.
But it takes starting and it takes commitment, and often times that’s where a coach or mentor comes in to help.
Orrin Woodward, best selling author and leadership guru, calls it the PDCA approach. P for plan, d for do, c for check and a for adjust.
That’s what I do. I implement what I learn and I also help by coaching others and being that accountability partner that often times is the exact ingredient that is needed to reach that next level of success.
Getting the right information is also vital. I have access to it right at my fingertips, on my product website
Now that I have what I need, it’s time to determine what I want, and get with my mentor to review my plan of action.
So, with ‘Into the Unknown’ by MSC playing, I take my note book and make my list of priorities, and start preparing to eat my first frog of the day!
Bon app̩tit РAmy