I’m not going to tell you to drink warm water with lemon in the morning (although that’s great for digestion).
I’m not even going to suggest you have something that balances protein, carbohydrates, and greens (although that’s probably good for you too).
My absolutely favorite thing to eat for breakfast is…. FROGS! 🐸
You probably think I’ve completely lost it, but hear me out -
Mark Twain is credited with saying, “Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.”'
Sorry (not sorry) for the bait and switch here...
So what do I mean? Obviously, I’m not saying you should eat an *actual* frog 🙂
Instead, think of a frog as a task that you might have trouble starting, but you know is important. For me, a frog is something that’s been on my mind (or “to do” list) for at least a couple of days (maybe more). It could be personal (like scheduling an appointment with a doctor/accountant/etc.) or work related (like writing the first draft of an article, sending an invoice, etc.).
For me, frogs are tasks that I’m not particularly excited to do, but I know are super valuable.
In an ideal world, getting things done would be as easy as think it, want it, and do it. But if that were the case, we'd all have everything we want. I tend to get distracted and in my experience, eating frogs for breakfast is the most efficient way to increase my productivity.
If I don’t eat frogs for breakfast, I’ll dive into my inbox and start reacting to emails that need my attention. By doing this I’m consuming, not creating.
I’ll also procrastinate on challenging tasks and usually won’t make meaningful progress on priorities until the afternoon (when I feel pressure to things get done before the end of the day).
When I eat frogs for breakfast, the rest of my day is usually AMAZING. I get a burst of energy because I’ve accomplished something that was important to me and I feel motivated to do more.
It helps to identify frogs the night before, but it also works first thing in the morning.
So, you might be wondering how you could eat frogs for breakfast. Good question, my friend.
I’ve got 4 tricks that work for me:
1 | Set an intention to eat frogs for breakfast
Intention guides everything. If I tell myself I’m eating frogs for breakfast the night before, I feel pulled to do that in the morning. I also found it helpful to schedule an alarm with a message to eat frogs for breakfast. I add the frog emoji in the message section because it’s cute.
2 | Identify your frogs
You can do this first thing in the morning or the night before. The idea is to have 1-3 priorities that you’re going to accomplish ready and visible. I write mine on a small post-it note.
3 | Work quickly
I like to set a time goal to complete my frogs, usually between 30-90 minutes. The goal here is to work quickly and make progress fast.
4| Bribe Yourself
Yea I said it. Bribing doesn’t only work for four-year-olds having a tantrum in the grocery store. It also works for grown adults trying to do something they might not want to do (like write a challenging email or schedule an appointment they’ve been putting off). Examples of bribes can be: going to a favorite workout class or going to a coffee/juice shop to get your favorite drink.
When I eat frogs for breakfast my whole day is better.
I create more. I have more confidence. I feel great, in the flow, more productive, and happier.
I love eating frogs for breakfast so much that I talk about it a lot. Now, my partner eats frogs for breakfast, and my closest friends tell me they do too. It really helps us stay motivated to get things done and achieve our goals. I'd love it if you'd join us! #frogsforbreakfast
Do you have a practice like this? What are some frogs for you? Leave a comment and let me know, I’d love to hear from you!
Bon appetite,
P.S. No live frogs were harmed in the writing of this article 😉