“Eat that frog” means starting with the task that matters most and you’re most likely to avoid. Two checks: Is it important? Am I avoiding it?
When you tackle a hard task, you strengthen the anterior mid-cingulate cortex (aMCC) – the brain region linked to effort, motivation, and persistence. The aMCC is plastic, which means it can change and grow based on your actions. Each time you push through something hard, you’re training your brain to handle challenges more easily next time. You’re building mental muscle.
But the plasticity goes both ways. Avoid the hard stuff too often, and the aMCC weakens. Avoidance gets easier. Momentum fades.
So, eating the frog is not just a productivity hack. It is brain training for focus and follow-through.
How to eat a FROG
F. First, pick one frog. Decide on it the night before.
R. Remove distractions. Close browsers, mute notifications, put your phone out of sight.
O. Optimise your energy. Morning person? Start early. Otherwise, try mid-morning.
G. Get it done. Each time you act instead of procrastinating, your aMCC gets stronger.
Try this GenAI prompt to uncover your daily frog and how to tackle it.
Act as my personal productivity mentor.
Review my attached to-do list [ATTACH SCREENSHOT/PHOTO].
Identify the top three tasks that are important but easy to avoid.
As context, my three big-picture work projects or deliverables are: [Insert your projects/DELIVERABLES].
Outside of meetings and email, I have about [X] hours of focus time today.
My current energy level is [ENERGISED / scattered / fatigued / low drive].
For each task: explain why I might resist it, suggest one small next step, and describe the payoff once done.
Present the results in a table with columns:
Task | Why I Avoid It | Small Next Step | Payoff Once Done.
Review the AI response with discernment. It’s often off, yet the process is valuable. Sometimes, even disagreeing with the results sparks clarity and activates action.
P.S. This sparked a lively discussion on LinkedIn. Check it out: Eat That Frog
