WELCOME TO INSPIRATION NATION
WHERE WE WILL REVIEW 1 chapter of Brian Tracey’s book, “Eat That Frog” each day in FABruary
The Cliff Notes from today’s reading:
“The Preface”
The book begins very directly, very matter-of-factly actually, by sharing, “There is never enough time to do everything you have to do… The fact is, you are never going to get caught up on the piles of books you intend to read, the many projects on your plate, or the leisure time activities you dream of!”
The author, Brian Tracey, implores you to forget about trying to be more productive using popular productivity techniques. Brian believes there will always be more to do than you can accomplish.
So, just when you feel he’s back you in a corner feeling helpless with your head and your To Do List in hand, he offers you a solution!
“Start spending more time on the few activities that can really make a difference in your life!”
In other words we are trying to do too much at one time!
Brian also explores the question of “Why are other people doing better than I am“? He talks about the mental trap of assuming that people are doing better than you because they are actually better!
When in fact, people who are doing better than you, are simply doing things differently! The simple truth the author uncovered was, we should improve our ability to concentrate single-handedly on our most important task, to do it well and to finish it completely.
This book will share 21 methods and techniques that will help us increase our overall level of productivity professionally and in our personal life!
KEY TAKE-A-WAYS from the PREFACE:
1. You will never accomplish everything you want to do, there’s just too much information, too many tasks to complete. So stop trying to do it all! #TeamTooMuch
2. Focus on one key, impactful task at a time, and complete it successfully.
3. Successful people are not BETTER than you, they just do things differently!
4. This book will provide us with 21 tools / techniques we can use to help us become more productive.
DIVA ASSIGNMENT:
- Today’s reading assignment is to read the PREFACE of the book only.
- Share here in the comments of this post if you’ve ever focused on one major goal, and achieved it as planned? If yes, what was that goal? Join the DIVA CHAT, we want to hear from you!
- Share this post! Let’s encourage our family and friends to EAT FROGS with us!
Successful people are not better than YOU, they just do things differently! -EAT THAT FROG Click To Tweet
GET TO KNOW Fit, Fyne & Fabulous!
- Learn more about our meal prep & fitness support ministry (click here)
- Learn more about the services we provide our divas (click here)
- Visit Our Diva Shop (click here)
I’m Nicole Twyman, a native New Orleanian, who has lived all across the US! Although, my small family of 4 currently calls Los Angeles, CA home. I am a proud 40+ year old mom of a wonderfully energetic and theatrical daughter, and a handsome, scholarly athlete!
While I have worked in corporate America as a certified senior project / program / portfolio manager for Fortune 500 companies like Microsoft, Procter & Gamble & IBM, my passion is service. It has always been my desire to live a life of service to others; which I took every opportunity to explore as an active member of many of my church’s ministries and of my public service sorority, Delta Sigma Theta, Inc.
Well, now I am over the top excited to have the opportunity to serve divas through my very own ministry, Fit, Fyne & Fabulous.
Wow, “Successful people aren’t better they just do things differently.” I love that quote. I am trying to do things differently in my life right now. So it is right on time. I have finished one class and now moving on to the other instead of doing too many classes at once. It is working for me. It is setting me up for success!
I absolutely love FOCUS mnemonic!! I constantly make long list of what needs to be done and do not prioritize them consistently! I am making “People aren’t better than you, they are simply doing things differently” my signature!!! I do try to accomplish one thing at a time (in my mind) but normally feel so overwhelmed looking at the long list I’ve made for myself. I can be #TeamTooMuch sometimes. Things get done….95% of the time but I am normally mentally and physically exhausted afterwards.
Prioritizing is a good take a way sis.
Absolutely right on time for me! Where has this book been All my life.
It’s a goodie!! It gets so much better! Keep reading sis 🙂
I am definitely looking forward to reading this book. Work , kids , family , and church I never have enough time to accomplish all I think I need to and never any time for me. I am working on being a better me. Hoping to gain a lot from this book and how to do things differently.
I’m so happy you’ve decided to focus on Dionne first!!
I like how he says FOCUS on one thing vs. many things!!!! I am always trying to do everything all at one time and then I look up and nothing is fully accomplished. I can say in the past I did just that….focused on one thing…I had a huge credit card balance and I wanted to pay it off quickly. Once I put my mind to it and wrote out the plan, I was able to pay it off actually before the date I originally thought I would pay it off. So I know this works!!! So I will start anew with that thinking and focus on my health and weight this year!!!
Give it all you got. if you’re focusing on health, do everything in your power to become healthier. I like the single focus. Some people call this the “batch” method as well
I need to get it together, and prioritize I’m one of those people that try and do everything all at once. I must keep reading!!!!!
One major thing that I focused on was getting my CPA license. I was working, planning a wedding and being mom but all my free time was focused on that for about a year and I accomplished that goal. I was very happy and proud once I was done.
One major thing I focused on was getting my master’s degree. I knew I wanted a change, wanted to improve my chances of making a career change and wanted to help more people in the process. It was one of the better decisions I’ve made in my adulthood and continues to open more doors for me. I did this is spite of a working full time, have 3 kids 5 and under with one still an infant and being busy with church and family commitments.
One major thing I focused on was the adoption of our younger son. We tried unsuccessfully for two years to adopt a child from the United States we were unsuccessful. At the end of two years I told my husband I was going to can the idea and we would continue our happy journey as a family of three. ( Keep in mind we tried for 2 years!) Someone proposed that we adopt internationally and I was extremely reluctant. A few days later we attended an interest meeting for adoptions from Ethiopia and we were told that the process could take as long as two years BUT we were guaranteed a child. One week after we attended the interest meeting we received a call at 10PM telling us that she apologized for calling so late but she believes she found our son. We were giving her all kinds of side-eyes because we just couldn’t believe that our son was found within 7 days. Still in disbelief I took about a month before we agreed he was THE ONE! The paperwork and other hoops we had to jump through took 8 months…I felt like I was in graduate school. I focused very hard and couldn’t make any mistakes because our son had to come home! 8 months to the day I mailed the last packet of information. Two months after I mailed the packet my hubby and son traveled to Ethiopia to meet and bring back the newest member of our family. Almost 7 years later we are a happy family! I focused and WE were successful. <3
This book is right on time for me! I’m so guilty of making a list. I try to complete all my tasks in one day when it’s not possible. I think that adds stress to your life! One thing that stood out to me in the preface “if you have to eat two frogs,eat the ugliest one first.”
One goal I accomplished last year was training for my first 5K and running the entire race!
I’m excited to start reading this book to see what kind of tips are in store for me. I feel like my life is so busy all the time that I never get to do the things that are important. The biggest things for me is I need to write things down and really focus. I’m a big procrastinator and it’s time for that to change!
WoW!! The Preface itself was very inspiring… I can’t wait to learn more!! I have never taken the time to set an ultimate goal. It’s always I will do this, then put it off to do something for someone else. I hope this book help me to focus more on my own goals and the success that follows. Using my time wisely.
Some additional take aways I got from reading the preface are:
• Learn from the experts and apply what they are doing to be successful to your situation.
• Each of the 21 methods and techniques are complete in itself, but all of them are necessary, depending on the situation or task.
And this next take away is one I need to keep in front of me –
•The key to success is action!
Wow! He was stepping all on my toes! I have so many projects I want to do that I get overwhelmed and do nothing or only a small piece. One major goal for me was starting my nursing education in a BSN program while working full time, two young kids and a husband. I finished in 5 years part time, 18 years ago!
Wow! I have so many things I need and want to do. I never know where to start so I just do nothing. Well I get so overwhelmed, that my anxieties kick in full gear, and I want to do after that is take a nap.
Since I’ve made procrastination a way of life I can’t say that I’ve ever focused on one thing and got it done. I pray I can develop some healthy habits from this read.
I am excited to read this book and enjoyed the preface!
One major goal I achieved was receiving my second Master’s as a Nurse Practitioner while working full time and being a single mom.
God has opened another door and I will transitioning to another job where I can expand my NP role further so this book is right on time.
I really like this statement: start spending more time on the few activities that can really make a difference in your life.
I am praying for balance in my health, my ministry, my home, my family, my interests and my career.
Looking forward to learning how to Eat That FROG!
Focus on one thing. I need to apply that to my life immediately. I am on Team Too Much. Time to step back, re-evaluate and prioritize.
Team Too Much is a losing team. I had to leave them too diva!!! hehehe
I’m starting late but better late than never!
I have completed several goals over my lifetime but it has been a while since I have had the focus needed to really get it done. I am hoping that this book and the accountability of this group will help me to get some traction on my goals.
I want so much that it is a challenge for me to only focus on one thing at a time but I can see over the last year, focusing on more than one is not getting me anywhere either. Time to try something new…one goal at a time!
Yes, One goal, the most important goal at a time sister! You got it!