Eat That Frog: Book Review

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Somedays it’s just too hard to get off the couch, especially when there is that one item on the to do list that has to be done.

You know the one.

It’s that to do list item that stares at you, and the longer you put it off the more daunting it seems to be.

This is also the same to do list item that, once complete, will feel like a huge weight off your shoulders and you’ll be motivated to do even more.

This is your frog, and it’s what Eat That Frog! by Brian Tracy is about.

In the introduction Tracy mentions a quote by Mark Twain that basically says if the first thing you do in the morning is eat a live frog then there is nothing worse you could do for the rest of the day.

In other words, if you complete that daunting task on your to do list right away, it will help you become more productive and more motivated to complete your to do list.

Eat That Frog! Book Review

• Book: Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time
• Author: Brian Tracy
• Published: 2007, Berrett-Koehler Publishers; 2nd edition
• Intent: Provides actionable techniques to end procrastination and increase productivity.
• Purchase: Amazon

Why did I decide to purchase and read Eat That Frog!?

As a direct sales consultant I followed a lot of other successful consultants. One of those consultants posted a short motivational video and I wanted to learn more. That video was the promotional video to Eat That Frog! and it was the perfect teaser to get me interested in learning more. Watch the video to find out why it caught my attention.

 

Who is Eat That Frog! for?

Eat That Frog! is a basic book for anyone looking to reduce procrastination, increase productivity, and organize the to do list efficiently.

 

My first impression of Eat That Frog

While the frog is the attention grabber for this book, the majority of the content focuses on the recommendations to stop procrastination. The imagery of the frog paired with the detailed steps make this a fun book to help you beat the habit of putting things off til later.

The organization of the book is easy to follow. Basically there are twenty one chapters, and each chapter covers one of the promised twenty one tips. The chapters stay on topic and don’t include a lot of fluff. At the end of each chapter is an actionable task for you that summarizes the basic point of the chapter.

Here are a list of chapters included:

1. Set the Table
2. Plan Every Day in Advance
3. Apply the 80/20 Rule to Everything
4. Consider the Consequences
5. Practice Creative Procrastination
6. Use the ABCDE Method Continually
7. Focus on Key Result Areas
8. Apply the Law of Three
9. Prepare Thoroughly Before You Begin
10. Take It One Oil Barrel at a Time
11. Upgrade Your Key Skills
12. Leverage Your Special Talents
13. Identify Your Key Constraints
14. Put the Pressure on Yourself
15. Maximize Your Personal Powers
16. Motivate Yourself into Action
17. Get Out of the Technological Time Sinks
18. Slice and Dice the Task
19. Create Large Chunks of Time
20. Develop a Sense of Urgency
21. Single Handle Every Task

Pros of Eat That Frog!

• Well organized
• Quick read
• Actionable steps in every chapter
• Decent advice to reduce procrastination

Cons of Eat That Frog!

• There are no references indicating if the methods are based on research or opinion.
• Some of the topics could provide more detail.
• The majority of tips can be found in other books about reducing procrastination
• I don’t agree with all of the tips provided, such as always focusing on the most important task first. While this is great information on the surface, if it’s a huge task there is the possibility of attention fatigue, or sometimes the smaller less important tasks are still necessary to keep up on daily so they don’t become a problem later, which can both affect productivity in the long run.
• In other words, sometimes the simple advice is perfect, sometimes things are more complex.

 

Overall, Eat That Frog! is a basic, introductory book providing recommendations to reduce procrastination. There are actionable steps in each chapter that will give you a good start to building better productivity habits, however with additional research you can find more in depth information to each of the topics.

Do you have any other questions or comments about Eat That Frog!? Let me know below.