Daily Truth Apr. 6, 2022
It is better to eat your toad first thing in the morning, than to nibble on him all day long.
Today’s truth stems from the 18th century writer and witticist Nicolas Chamfort who said “swallow a toad every morning.” His message was to do what you least want to do first thing in the morning and you will be fully prepared for whatever else comes your way throughout the day. I live by this rule and it is one of the first techniques I help others put in place. I also get a good laugh from the visual this statement conjures up in my head. A slimy, green little dude sitting smack in the middle of my desk, waiting each morning for me to slurp him up.
I firmly believe this principle is one of the great separators between those who reach their goals and live a fulfilling life and those who always seem to fall short. Those who get up and exercise, take time for real food, meditate, pray, go for a walk (even in the cold, rain or snow) and connect to themselves run circles around those who snooze their alarm, grab their phones while still lying in bed, skip breakfast, and rush out the door.
Show me any high achiever (and I don’t just mean financial, I mean someone living with a high level of emotional success) and I will show you someone who gets shit done first thing in the morning.
There is a misconception that those of us who workout in the morning do it because we like it. False! Those of us who move in the morning are just more disciplined. Ask anyone, dedicated marathon runner to recreational exerciser and they will all say the same thing, they have to negotiate with themselves every damn day. The difference between those who do it and those who don’t comes down to discipline. We do something we don’t want to do because it’s good for us, not because we want to.
After over a decade of coaching I can also tell you very few people will workout in the evening. Everyone has the best of intentions but after a long day at work, going to the gym usually doesn’t happen.
I apply this rule to work or any other item on my to-do list. Get what you least want to do done and out of the way. There are few things worse than something hanging over your head all day long. You spend the entire day thinking about what it is you have to do that you don’t want to do. Eat that thing! Don’t nibble on it all day and prolong the agony.
When you start to implement this strategy, you will feel the benefits immediately. There is something gratifying about getting dreaded work off your plate first thing in the morning. It creates a sense of empowerment and sets you up to tackle whatever life throws at you. It creates momentum and momentum is what keeps you moving in the right direction. Once you get the worst of things off your plate, I guarantee we will take down other tasks like a champ.
It isn’t complicated but it does take discipline. Do not snooze your alarm. Avoid your phone for the first 30 minutes of the day. Move your body before you use your mind. Take 5 minutes to pray, meditate or otherwise connect with yourself. And don’t skip breakfast….
Eat a toad!