Are You Comfortable Eating a Frog?

Human beings are hardwired to seek comfort. It is in our nature to want to be in a state free of pain, rejection, and failure. Why do you think salespeople “don’t follow up” – they don’t want to be rejected. But, what if you purposely embraced pain and discomfort?

I know, why would you want to embrace pain and discomfort? It is actually an extremely effective strategy to create success!

The military coined the phrase “Embrace the Suck.” It became popularized in 2003 during Operation Iraqi Freedom. It speaks of a human truth: to grow in any endeavor, you have to do hard things.

Recently, I have been reflecting on a habit I have developed that has helped create significant results for me physically and in my business. The idea came to me after reading Brian Tracy’s classic book “Eat that Frog.” Tracy described the frog as “the most important task you have to do today that is likely to be procrastinated.” So, if you have two tasks to start the day, start with the biggest, hardest, and most important task first.

I start my day doing a set of crunches or pushups even before I brush my teeth. I start by eating the frog! I am barely awake, and I purposely start my day in a state of discomfort. The feeling of accomplishment is worth the sacrifice. Each time I go outside to take out the trash or go on an appointment, I will do a set of dips or pull-ups. I have tracked my reps in a “little black book” since May 5th 2023. That book sits on my desk as a reminder to embrace the suck every day.

I tell my coaching clients to be “comfortable being uncomfortable.” There is great value in that. It allows you to reframe your perception of a stressful event. For me, making the call, booking the appointment, or asking for the sale are my money-making tasks. I am rewarded for eating the frog. The discomfort is no longer nearly as intimidating and I am procrastinating much less.

In sales there are numerous uncomfortable frogs you have to encounter on a daily basis. It’s just a part of the job. These uncomfortable events in sales include the grind of prospecting, filling out reports, or making that call to close a deal with a prospect you have been avoiding for fear of losing the sale.

These uncomfortable events can cause us to break out in cold sweats and feel nauseous, so they are procrastinated or avoided completely. Why do humans avoid the frog? The explanation is the pain and pleasure principle. Humans do more to avoid the feelings of pain than pursue pleasure.

Here is my suggestion for you. Start your sales day eating the frog. In the world of sales the frog can be grinding out 50 cold calls in 3 hours. The frog could be making that follow-up call to close the deal. When you purposely start your sales day eating the frog a few things will happen:

• 1st: You will automatically have feelings of accomplishment.
• 2nd: Starting your day with the most uncomfortable task boosts your confidence.
• 3rd: You can actually close more sales!!!

How has eating the frog helped me? Well, I have been in the best shape of my life. Working out first thing in the morning has become such a habit I no longer “feel right” until I do a set of push-ups or crunches. My energy levels have increased, and last year was a record year for the business. So, I will continue to purposely eat frogs every day!

What are you waiting for? Eat that frog!