Eat A Live Frog Everyday And Be Better For It?

Here at Jones and Kolb, we are moving into "high gear of busy season."  It reminds me of the hours people have to invest to be successful in their jobs and  careers.  Some words to consider:

"Working hard overcomes a whole lot of other obstacles:
• you can have unbelievable intelligence,
• you can have connections,
• you can have opportunities fall out of the sky-
But in the end, hard work is the true, enduring characteristic of successful people." Author: Marsha Evans

I am providing a two-for (2 quotes for the price of 1) today.

"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome." Author: Booker T. Washington

The trick is to not only work hard but work in an efficient and productive manner. The biggest problem I have this time of year is procrastination. There are tasks I do not really want to do albeit I know they need to be done. How do you accomplish your goals?  In Mac Anderson's book, The Nature of Success, he presents an interesting approach.  He talks about an old saying that goes: "If the first thing you do when you get up in the morning is eat a live frog, then nothing worse can happen to you the rest of the day."

Brian Tracy, in his book Eat That Frog, says that your "frog" should be the toughest task of the day, the one you're most likely to procrastinate on. Eating that frog or completing that task, can give you energy and confidence that will provide momentum for the rest of the day. If you keep procrastinating it will sit on the plate and continue to grow.

That is an excellent illustration. I have spent several hours the last couple of days eating frogs. I must admit it is hard to get in the habit of "eating frogs," but I have found it to be very effective. This time of year there are multiple frogs, but I can usually identify the biggest frog without much trouble. If you focus on the task at hand and devote your energy on your most challenging tasks you will be amazed at how satisfying your work can be and much you can accomplish in a day.

Here's to eating your biggest frog. Bon appétit!

~ Colin, Shareholder