Brian Tracy - Eat That Frog - 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time
STEP 4 - CONSIDER THE CONSEQUENCES
Every man has become great, every successful man has succeeded, in proportion as he has confined his powers to one particular channel. - Orison Swett Marden
the mark of a the superior thinker is his or her ability to accurately predict the consequences of doing or not doing something.
dr edward banfield of harvard university, after more than fifty years of research, concluded that "long-time perspective" is the most accurate single predictor of upward social and economic mobility in america. long-time perspective turns out to be more important than family background, education, race, intelligence, connections, or vitually any other single factor in determining your success in life and at work.
•RULE: Long-term thinking improves short-term decision making
by definition, something that is important has long-term potential consequences. something this is unimportant has few or no long-term potential consequences. before starting on anything, you should always ask yourself, "what are the potential consequences of doing or not doing this task?"
•RULE: Future intent influences and often determines present actions
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 long-term future.
dennis waitley, a motivational speaker, says, "failures do what is tension relieving while winners do what is goal achieving."
motivation requires MOTIVE. the greater the positive potential impact that an action or behaivor of yours can have on your life, once you define it clearly, the more motivated you will be to overcome procrastination and get it done quickly.
the time is going to pass anyway. the only question is how you use it and where you are going to end up at the end of the weeks and months that pass.
ASSIGNMENT - EAT THAT FROG
review your lists of tasks, activities, and projects regularly. continually ask yourself, "which one project or activity, if i did it in an excellent and timely fashion, would have the greatest positive impact on my life?"
whatever it is that canhelp you themost, set it as a goal, make a plan to achieve it, and go to work on your plan immediately. remember the wonderful words of goethe, "just being and the mind grows heated; continue and that task will be completed"
