Brian Tracy

It is also been said that, "If you have to eat two frogs, eat the ugliest one first."

Stephen Covey says that, "Before you begin scrambling up the ladder of success, make sure that it is leaning against the right building."

Rule: “One of the very worst uses of time is to do something very well that need not be done at all.”

Planning is bringing the future into the present so you can do something about it now.” (Alan Lakein) You have heard the old question, ”How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!

Rule: “Resist the temptation to clear up small things first.”

You may have heard of the six "P" formula. It says, "Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance."

Make your list the night before, at the end of the workday. Move everything that you have not yet accomplished onto your list for the coming day and then add everything that you have to do the next day. When you make your list the night before, your subconscious mind works on your list all night long while you sleep. Often you will wake up with great ideas and insights that you can use to get your job done faster and better than you had initially thought.

Successful people are those who are willing to delay gratification and make sacrifices in the short term so that they can enjoy far greater rewards in the long term. Unsuccessful people, on the other hand, think more about short-term pleasure and immediate gratification while giving little thought to the longterm future.

The ABCDE Method is a powerful priority-setting technique that you can use every single day. This

technique is so simple and effective that it can, all by itself, make you one of the most efficient and effective people in your field.

The power of this technique lies in its simplicity. Here's how it works: You start with a list of everything you have to do for the coming day. Think on paper.

You then place an A, B, C, D, or E before each item on your list before you begin the first task.

An "A" item is defined as something that is very important, something that you must do or else face serious consequences. An "A" item might be visiting a key customer or finishing a report for your boss that she needs for an upcoming board meeting. These items are the frogs of your life.

If you have more than one "A" task, you prioritize these tasks by writing A-1, A-2, A-3, and so on in front of each item. Your A-1 task is your biggest, ugliest frog of all.

A "B" item is defined as a task that you should do. But it has only mild consequences. These items are the tadpoles of your work life. This means that someone may be unhappy or inconvenienced if you don't do one of these tasks, but it is nowhere as important as an "A" task. Returning an unimportant telephone message or reviewing your e-mail would be a "B" task.

The rule is that you should never do a "B" task when there is an "A" task left undone. You should never be distracted by a tadpole when a big frog is sitting there waiting to be eaten.

Begin today to plan every day, week, and month in advance. Take a notepad or sheet of paper and make a list of everything you have to do in the next twenty-four hours. Add to your list as new items come up.

Make a list of all your projects, the big multitask jobs that are important to your future.

Lay out each of your major goals, projects, or tasks by priority, what is most important, and by sequence, what has to be done first, what comes second, and so forth. Start with the end in mind and work backward.

Think on paper! Always work from a list. You'll be amazed at how much more productive you become and how much easier it is to eat your frog.

Apply the 80/20 Rule to Everything