It has been over five years since I last read Brian Tracy’s Eat That Frog!
And one thing I have realised over time is that when we read books and do not actively apply what we learn, some of those principles gradually fade away. Even when we have applied them before, if we stop practising them for a while, we can forget just how useful they were.
That is exactly why I had to go back to this book.
Going back to it was more or less like giving myself something fresh. I realised that I have got a lot on my plate at the moment, and there is a need to prioritise, reorganise, take some things out, bring some things in, and generally become more deliberate about where I put my time and attention.
And I realised that I actually needed the book more than I had casually imagined.
Interestingly, what made me go back to it was that I had recommended it to some of my mentees. I felt they needed to read it at this particular stage of their lives.
But as I recommended it to them, I thought to myself: perhaps I need to read it again too.
Some books deserve to be reread
This is probably my biggest takeaway from the experience. Some books we read once, some we read twice, and some deserve to be read every year. Others may be worth returning to every two, three or five years, depending on where we are in life and how relevant their lessons are to what we are currently dealing with.
For me, Eat That Frog! is probably a book I should be reading every year. If I had read it last year, or two or three years ago, perhaps some of these principles would have helped me produce more, prioritise better and get more output from my time.
Sometimes, the problem is not that we do not know what to do. We simply stop doing what we already know works.
From reading to application
This time, I did not just want to read the book and move on; I wanted to apply it.
Immediately, I started applying some of the principles, particularly the ABCDE method, which helps you classify your tasks according to their level of importance and consequence. You have your A tasks, your B tasks, your C tasks, your D tasks and your E tasks.
The point is to understand that not everything on your list deserves the same level of attention. That is particularly important when you have a lot on your plate. You need to know what must be done, what should be done, what can wait, what can be delegated and what can be eliminated.
And sometimes, that is exactly what we need to do – not necessarily work harder, but become clearer about what deserves our effort.
The “do it now” principle
Another thing that caught my attention during this rereading was the principle of “Do it now.”
I have heard John Maxwell talk about doing it now, repeatedly, as a way of developing the spirit of taking action rather than continually postponing things. What I found interesting was discovering the connection with Brian Tracy’s work.
I had read Eat That Frog! before, but I had not necessarily made that connection. I initially thought of the idea mainly through Maxwell’s teaching. It was interesting to see the principle in another context and to recognise where the idea had been presented in Tracy’s work.
There is something powerful about developing that habit of doing things immediately when they need to be done. Sometimes, we do not have a problem with knowing what needs to be done. We have a problem with when we decide to do it. And postponing important things repeatedly has a cost.
Some of the principles that stood out
There are at least 21 ideas and principles in the book, but several stood out to me during this rereading.
Set the table: You need to know what you want to achieve. Setting clear goals gives you direction and helps you determine what deserves your attention.
Plan every day in advance: I have used this principle at different points in my life, and I know it works. When you plan your day in advance, you are less likely to allow everything that happens around you to determine what you spend your time doing.
The 80/20 rule: A disproportionate amount of your results often comes from a relatively small proportion of your efforts. So you have to ask yourself: Which of the things I am doing actually produce the greatest results? That question alone can change how you approach your workload.
Consider the consequences: Not everything that feels urgent is important. Some things may be easy to do but have little long-term consequence. Other things may be difficult or uncomfortable but could make a significant difference to where you are going. You have to learn to consider the consequences.
The ABCDE method: This was probably the principle I immediately wanted to put into practice. It gives you a practical way of looking at your tasks and deciding what really deserves your attention. And I think that is particularly relevant for anyone who has multiple responsibilities, projects and competing demands.
The bigger lesson for me
The bigger lesson from rereading Eat That Frog! is not simply about productivity. It is about revisiting what you already know.
We are often looking for the next book, the next podcast, the next course or the next big idea. But sometimes, we need to return to something we already read – because we are no longer the same person who read it five years ago. Our responsibilities, priorities, experience and challenges have all changed. And suddenly, the same book can teach us something different.
That is why I think some books deserve to be reread – not because we forgot everything in them, but because we may need their lessons again. For me, Eat That Frog! is one of those books.
I am taking the principles back into my daily work, particularly around prioritisation, planning and focusing on the things that matter most. There is always going to be more to do. The real challenge is deciding what deserves to be done first.
So, if you have never read Brian Tracy’s book, I would encourage you to pick it up. You can find it online or search for the audiobook and explore the ideas for yourself. And if you read it several years ago, perhaps it is time to read it again. You might be surprised by what you discover the second time around.
Thank you for reading.
If you have read Eat That Frog!, what is your biggest takeaway from the book? And, more importantly, how have you applied it?
