Ahoy,
Get this - 'Eat your frogs'.
What the hell does that mean?
It's a pretty simple concept that refers to putting hard or unpleasant things off.
Let's say you need to eat a frog once a day.
It's definitely not the nicest thought.
And if you're anything like me, you'll put it off.
But here's the thing...
If you put off eating a frog today, you will have 2 frogs to eat tomorrow - which is even worse!
So the first problem is that they will build up, and it will get harder and harder to get rid of them.
But then there's the second problem.
If you don't get rid of the frog ASAP, it will constantly be on your mind.
You wake up, and there it is, sat there, watching. Being a frog. Doing frog stuff.
You think - 'no thanks, I'll deal with that later'.
So off you go, you have breakfast, get ready for the day and head over to the gym.
But the frog is still in your mind.
You know you need to eat it, and you can't concentrate on your workout.
You drive home - and all you can think about is the frog.
By putting it off, everything you do is basically ruined - all you can think about is this frog!
Maybe you can see where I'm going with this.
Stop putting it off
Eating the frog is a task that's hard and unpleasant.
Just like going to the gym on a dark, cold winter morning.
Or tackling that drawer full of rubbish that you never use but can't seem to get rid of.
The best thing to do with tasks like these - even eating a frog - is to get it out of the way as soon as possible.
Get it done early, and go on and live your life.
Instead of putting it off and leaving it until tomorrow, where it's added onto your tomorrow to-do list, it's best to deal with these things as soon as possible.
Leaving it until later on only makes it a later you problem!
It's a bit of a weird metaphor but I think it's a great way to show that letting things pile up isn't the answer.
And nor is avoiding something, but having it weigh on you all of the time like a dark cloud.
Deal with it, get it out of the way, don't let it add onto whatever else needs to be done.
Happy days.
Quick note. I had quite a few replies last week mentioning that you enjoyed my email and that you found some value from it - glad to hear it!
See you next week ๐
Thanks! ๐
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Photo of the week ๐ธ
What have I learned this week? ๐ค
It's better to deal accept the downsides of saying no to something than it is to deal with the consequences of not saying no.
This Weekโs Recommendation ๐
Kindle Paperwhite ๐ - I've written about why I love my Kindle before, but while it's on sale at the moment for Black Friday, it's worth repeating. Having one means a read way more than I'd usually do, and once you get used to the experience, it is much better. Lying in bed with a thick paperback, trying to get the light to shine on the pages just right is such a worse experience than lying in bed, holding a Kindle with one hand, no need for a light to light up any pages. There's a million reasons (watch my video here if you're not convinced yet!) to get one (cheaper books, more storage, portable, waterproof, can share e-books, can highlight quotes), and now's the best time.
This Week Iโm: โฌ๏ธ
Reading ๐ -ย Designing Your Life: Build a Life that Works for Youย - Bill Burnett,ย Dave Evans. I just bought Life on Earth by David Attenborough which I can't wait to read.
Listening to ๐ง -ย I'm a bit of a sucker for these lo-fi chill beats to study/relax/work to. Alongside a Pomodoro Timer you are guaranteed to smash through what you need to do.
Learning โ๏ธ - This week I start revising for my upcoming IPA Foundation exam (work thing)
Planning โท - A trip to Mayrhofen
Thinking about โฝ๏ธ - The fact I am 1,080th in the world on Fantasy Premier League out of 8M+ players...
Looking forward to โฑ - The clocks going forwards in March (yes, already)
This Weekโs Quote ๐ฌ
There we have it!
Looking forward to catching up next week.
In the meantime, find me onย Twitter,ย Instagramย andย YouTube, and have a look at what Iโm reading onย Goodreads. Ciao!