In this week’s Success Newsletter, I would like to reveal the significance and meaning of the expression ‘eat that frog’ and why it must be done now.
First a quick update:
The Breakup Test
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“I DON’T WANT TO GO”
Holly Butcher from Australia was just 27 when she lost her battle to Ewing’s sarcoma. She left a heartbreaking letter that’ll make you cry. It has gone viral. Watch the video
Now, let’s talk about the significance and meaning of the expression ‘eat that frog’ and why it must be done now.
In his book, “Eat That Frog”, self-help author and speaker, Brian Tracy teaches that the key to overcoming procrastination is to tackle the hardest task first: every day, every morning tackle the hardest task first. And Tracy likens the hardest task to eating a frog.
This teaching stems from a saying that if you eat a live frog every morning, nothing worse could happen for the rest of the day.
This quote has mistakenly been attributed to Mark Twain. In fact, it was written by a French author Nicolas Chamfort an aristocrat who also supported the French Revolution and said via his mouthpiece Mr. de Lassay that “we should swallow a toad every morning, in order to fortify ourselves against the disgust of the rest of the day, when we have to spend it in society.”
His simple point is that if you do the hardest and yuckiest thing first, then everything else will appear to be easier.
It’s another way of saying that when you do the most challenging task first, you’ll also gain a renewed sense of confidence, motivation and inspiration to achieve more things in life.
There is another variation of this saying (again mistakenly attributed to Mark Twain): “If you have to eat a frog, don’t look too long. If you have to eat two frogs, don’t eat the smaller one first.” In other words, “Do it now and do the hardest thing first” https://quoteinvestigator.com/2013/04/03/eat-frog/
And this principle applies to the challenges and the fears that we all undergo in life. Throughout our lives we will all experience many times when we have to do something that is either extraordinarily uncomfortable or even quite painful. This ‘frog’ might be a conversation with a friend, loved one or even a colleague where perhaps you have to share unhappy news or confront a problem or face a painful reality; eating that frog might also mean facing your own issues, fears or insecurities.
It is easy to fool yourself into thinking that the longer you wait, the sweeter and easier it will be to eat that frog.
The truth is that the longer you choose to put off eating that frog, the bigger that frog will become: your mind begins to create a bigger and uglier and yuckier frog than before. Very soon, what was once an ugly and disgusting frog has now turned into a huge, terrorizing monster.
Consequently, the fear of that frog expands and eventually controls you!
The longer you continue to put off eating that frog, (talking to that person, writing that letter, apologizing for your actions, going for that medical exam or medical treatment, facing your issues, asking for help, etc.) the more powerful that frog becomes until the frog paralyzes you, or destroys you or your relationship.
Most addiction stems from the same principle: the fear to eat that frog, the fear to face one’s deeper pains; the frog becomes such a horrific monster that the person so frightened turns to drugs and alcohol to escape the 50-foot frog.
Who or what are the frogs in your life?
- Ending a relationship
- Accepting a relationship is over
- Asking someone out on a date
- Committing to a relationship
- Speaking up – using your voice to express your feelings or opinions
- Speaking your truth
- Standing up for what you believe
- Sharing a secret or vulnerability with someone significant in your life
- Starting a new program to get healthy
- Taking a medical/dental exam
- Responding to a challenging/difficult email
- Applying for a new job
- Apologizing for hurting someone
- Listening to a friend who is experiencing something difficult
- Receiving bad news or feedback/criticism
- Hearing the truth about a situation
“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
The solution to avoid allowing that frog from turning into a monster is simple: take action. No one else can do it for you; you can ask for help and support, but ultimately, you are the one who will have to eat and swallow that frog!
In the same way, that we eat food in bites, you can also plan or break down that task, that frog into small pieces or small chunks, and then, eat – take action!
If you need personal help to face and eat your frog (issues and fears from the past or present), book a one-on-one session with me.
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I wish you the best and remind you “Believe in yourself -You deserve the best!”
Patrick Wanis Ph.D.
Celebrity Life Coach, Human Behavior & Relationship Expert & SRTT Therapist
www.patrickwanis.com
Anointed “The Woman Expert” by WGN Chicago, Patrick Wanis PhD is a renowned Celebrity Life Coach, Human Behavior & Relationship Expert who developed SRTT therapy (Subconscious Rapid Transformation Technique) and is teaching it to other practitioners. Wanis’ clientele ranges from celebrities and CEOs to housewives and teenagers. CNN, BBC, FOX News, MSNBC & major news outlets worldwide consult Wanis for his expert insights and analysis on sexuality, human behavior and women’s issues. Wanis is the first person ever to do hypnotherapy on national TV – on the Montel Williams show.