Eat That Frog... Or Pet That Cat? A Guide to Prioritization

Published on 2025-07-20

There is a famous quote often attributed to Mark Twain: "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."

Gross? Yes. Effective? Absolutely.

This is the core of the "Eat That Frog" productivity method popularized by Brian Tracy. But since we prefer cute virtual pets over slimy amphibians here at Purrrductive, let’s break down what this actually means for your daily workflow (without the indigestion).

The Frog Theory

Your "frog" is your biggest, most important task. It’s the one you are most likely to procrastinate on if you don’t do something about it. It’s also usually the task that can have the greatest positive impact on your life or work.

The logic is simple: if you start your day by doing the hardest thing first, the rest of the day is a breeze by comparison. You’ve conquered the mountain. You have the momentum.

If you don't eat the frog first, you spend the entire day with it looming over your head. You do busy work—checking emails, organizing files, cleaning your desk—just to avoid the frog. This drains your mental energy, so by the time you finally try to tackle it, you’re exhausted.

How to Identify Your Frog

Not every task is a frog. Checking your email is a tadpole. Attending a routine meeting is a guppy.

A frog is:

  1. Important: It moves the needle on your long-term goals.
  2. Difficult: It requires significant mental effort.
  3. Dreaded: You feel resistance just thinking about it.

The Purrrductive Twist: Pet That Cat

Okay, "eating a frog" is a very aggressive, masculine, 1980s business metaphor. Let’s soften it up for the modern era.

Instead of thinking about "eating a frog" (which sounds like punishment), think of it as "Feeding the Big Cat."

Imagine your biggest task is a large, hungry lion.

  • If you feed it first thing in the morning, it goes to sleep, and you can safely walk around your zoo (your day) doing whatever you want.
  • If you ignore it, it roars all day, pacing around, making you stressed and terrified.

3 Steps to Conquer Your Morning

  1. Plan the Night Before: Never start your morning wondering what to do. Decision fatigue is real. Decide on your "Frog" (or Big Cat) the night before. Write it down.

  2. Use the Pomodoro Technique: Frogs are scary because they are big. Slice the frog! (Okay, that’s also gross). Break the task down. Don't say "Write Thesis." Say "Write 300 words of introduction." Use Purrrductive to set a 25-minute timer. You don't have to finish the whole task; you just have to give it 25 minutes of focus. Anyone can do 25 minutes.

  3. Reward Yourself Immediately: Once that first session is done, give yourself a pat on the back. Check your streak in the app. Look at your virtual pet. You did the hard thing. Now you have permission to enjoy your coffee and handle the easier stuff.

Conclusion

Procrastination isn't about laziness; it's about emotional regulation. We avoid the big tasks because they make us feel anxious or overwhelmed.

By committing to tackling the hardest thing first—even for just one Pomodoro session—you flip the script. You take control of your day instead of letting the day control you.

So, tomorrow morning, look that frog (or lion) in the eye, set your timer, and get it done. The rest of the day belongs to you.