# Eat The Frog

> Productivity method popularized by Brian Tracy where you identify and complete your most important and challenging task first thing in the morning, based on the Mark Twain quote about eating a frog being the worst thing you'll do all day.

- **URL:** https://www.briantracy.com/blog/time-management/the-truth-about-frogs/
- **Category:** Practices
- **Tags:** Productivity, Prioritization, Methodology
- **Updated:** 2026-03-15 01:56
- **Canonical page:** https://timetrack.works/hi/items/eat-the-frog

## Details

## Overview

Eat The Frog is a simple yet powerful time management and productivity method that helps people overcome procrastination by tackling their most difficult or important task first thing each day.

## Origin

The method was popularized by productivity consultant Brian Tracy in his book "Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time." The concept is attributed to Mark Twain's quote: "If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it's your job to eat two frogs, it's best to eat the biggest one first."

## How It Works

1. **Identify Your Frog**: At the end of each workday or first thing in the morning, identify the most important task for the day
2. **Do It First**: Complete that task before checking email, attending meetings, or working on anything else
3. **Build Momentum**: Completing the hardest task first creates momentum and motivation for the rest of the day

## Key Principles

- **The frog is the task you're most likely to procrastinate on** - if left undone, it will weigh on your mind all day
- **It's also the task that has the most significant impact** on your goals and objectives
- **There's no time to plan the perfect approach** - just start and make progress

## Benefits

- Reduces procrastination on important tasks
- Creates a sense of accomplishment early in the day
- Prevents important work from being crowded out by urgent but less important tasks
- Builds discipline and productive habits
- Reduces mental burden and stress from unfinished important work

## Comparison to Other Methods

Unlike Pomodoro or Getting Things Done, Eat The Frog focuses on just one priority: completing your most important task first. While more complex methods have their place, Eat The Frog can be adopted immediately with minimal planning or system setup.

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