The ABCDE Method. A Powerful Priority-Setting Technique
The more I learn about Goal setting and making lists, the more I realize it all boils down to one word and one word only. The big “D” word.
Discipline.
We can define our dreams, clarify our goals, make lists till the cows come home, but without implementing the steps to get the necessary task done, it’s pretty much all cow pies.
I found in Websters New World College Dictionary this definition of discipline: “A training that develops self control, character, or orderliness and efficiency.”
I remember when my very active, inquisitive daughter was a youngster, we tried to instill self control in her, especially when we went out in public. Have you ever been guilty of thinking in your mind, “Oh no, here comes the “Jones” kid!”
Well, I did not want people thinking that when we showed up. That is why we made it a priority to instill self control in our youngest. It took discipline on our part to teach and instruct her, and discipline on her part to try and be self controlled. We wanted her to behave in an orderly fashion and not some unruly, miss behaving little girl. If she could learn self control as a youngster, it would help her throughout her life. It was something we had to focus on a continual basis in order for us and her to see results.
It’s the same way with us in our daily life and business. We have to focus and discipline ourselves if we want to accomplish the right things.
The ABCDE Method
Here is a simple, but powerful way from Brian Tracy (Eat That Frog) to help us in our daily lives. The ABCDE Method is a powerful priority-setting technique to use daily that can make us one of the most efficient and effective people around.
First, make your list for the coming day. Think on paper. Then place an A, B, C, D, or E before each item on the list before you begin.
Here is what each letter represents:
A – Something very important, that you must do or else face serious consequences. These items are the frogs of your life. You know what they are.
If per chance you feel you have more than one “A” task, prioritize these tasks by writing A-1, A-2 and so forth by these items. Your A-1 task is your ugliest, biggest, most croaking frog.
B – Something you should do. However, it has only mild consequences. (the tadpoles of your work life)
The rule is that you should never do a “B” task when there is an “A” task left undone. In other words, don’t be distracted by the tadpoles when a big ugly frog is sitting there waiting to be eaten.
C – Something that would be nice to do, but there is no consequence at all, whether you do it or not. This sort of activity has no affect at all on your work life.
D – Something you can delegate to someone else so you can be freed up to do an “A” task. Would that be dishes, laundry, weeding flowers beds, cooking? 
Sweet!
E – Something you can eliminate all together and it won’t make any difference. You may have thought it important at one time, but it is now irrelevant, something you enjoy and might do out of habit.
Applying the ABCDE Method will help you be organized and ready to get more important things done first and faster. However, the key to making this technique work is Discipline!
Discipline Yourself to Start Right
Discipline yourself to start immediately on you “A-1” task, staying with it until it is accomplished. Stick with it, using willpower to get going, stay going until this whole big ugly frog is eaten.
Thinking through, analyzing your work list and determining your “A-1” task is the stepping stone to higher levels of accomplishment. This in turn will add volumes to your self-esteem, self-respect, and personal pride.
If you want to get more done, develop the habit of concentrating on your most important activity, (eating your frog), and you will start getting more done than most people around you!
Please share any ways or methods that have helped you Eat Your Frog and get more accomplished in your day.
Let me leave you with these words from Tom Hopkins…….
“If you are not willing to accept your own discipline, you’re not going to accomplish 2% of what you could – and you’re going to miss out on 98% of the good things you could have.”
I want the 98% of the good things! What about you?
Your Networking Friend,
Hello there.
Twitter
Facebook
Hello Lynn – I really like the idea behind the ABCDE method, because it follow the same process that I write about, when I talk about how to use socil mathematics to help better your life. By focusing on things that you want to happen, and realizing the things that you need to stop doing. The most important part that you had stated is the discipline that you need to make these changes reality. I will be the first person to tell people that my time management is not the best, so I believe in using the daily check list. The ABCDE method sounds like a great tool for someone use in order to bring more structure to their work life. – Great post
Marcus T Cox recently posted..True factors vs true to reality factor (Debate)
Hi Marcus, I appreciate your comments and find the Social Mathematics very intriguing. It is something I want to explore!
Lynn,
Brian Tracy is the best. I got some old cassette tapes on his Success Mastery University and he talks about this method. Thanks for the reminder. Also, you started out talking about Discipline and that is the key to any success in becoming a top notch musician, olympic athlete, business or sales person or entrepreneur! Another great reminder.
Thanks,
Jupiter Jim
p.s. Lynn I am sorry but that “Follow Me” thing on the side cuts into the text of the left edge of every paragraph in the middle of the page so I have to keep scrolling up and can only read the text that is above this thing from left to right. You already have FB and Twitter links on your Digg Digg at the bottom of every post so you don’t need this and it’s very annoying. Wish I could be more diplomatic about it. Great content though!
Jupiter Jim recently posted..WordPress Tutorial: How to Create a “Better WordPress Google XML Sitemap” to improve blog SEO
Jim, Yes I appreciate Brian Tracy too. I want to thank you for pointing out annoying things on my blog. I have fixed it and hope it is to everyone’s liking. One thing that annoys me on peoples blog is the drop down to sign up for their free offer. I don’t know about other people, but I don’t have the time to read up on everyone’s good advice. I am sure it is good advice, but when you are reading so many blog articles, one can’t possibly read everyone’s Free report or ebook.
Thank you Jim for your blog expertise!
Lynn
Great explanation!! I am guilty of not doing the A1 thing first! That is for sure!! I will take this little frog exercise and make it part of my plan. I will be disciplined and do it!! However eating my frog will be totally imaginary, as I can’t imagine really eating a frog!! LOL Great post!
Holly recently posted..Do You Do Whatever It Takes?
Hi Holly, To be honest…..I am guilty too, of not eating my Frog first thing. Goal setting is a necessary thing that needs attention every day. Pin pointing what needs to be done first and disciplining yourself to do it is a daily challenge.
Thanks for stopping by.
Lynn
Lynn,
Thanks for sharing these tips. I realize that I need to discipline myself to use this discipline system! I find that when I try to prioritize my week “in my head” I wind up unfocused and much less productive. This system really helps.
Best,
Lee
Lee Silverstein recently posted..Ignore the Basic Rules of Interviewing and Still Get The Job
It’s true what “they” say………there is some sort of power and great advantage in putting it down on paper. If it is not written down for me, it flies out of my head. lol
Terrific article Lynn … I love Bryan’s “frog” visual for this system. In fact (being the highly visual kinda gal I am) I have two really cute frog graphics I use with my lists. You’ve certainly hit on the right targets here with the importance of discipline and prioritizing. Thanks for the inspiration!
marquita herald recently posted..Revealing Stories of Conflict of Interest
Hi Marquita, Yes, Bryan has fabulous tips and ideas for getting our most important work accomplished. Now we just need to follow through with clarifying those lists and daily implementing what’s on them. Have a great day!
Hi Lynn,
I love your analogy of frog and tadpoles.
The ABCDE method sounds like a great system. Delegating can be so important.
I came across the Place Matt method by Abraham-Hicks which is dividing your tasks into two colums.
One column has all the tasks you really want to get done that day and the other column has all the other tasks on it leaving the Universal Manager to come up with a way to handle how they can get done.
Thank you for sharing this great post.
Cheers,
Yorinda
Yorinda recently posted..Time for Self Reflection
Hi Yorinda, I know there are many ideas to help us Eat our Frogs. Thanks for sharing yours! It is important that we find what works for each one of us, get our fork and start eating.
Amen to this post..
Discipline is really something we need to make this list even work, though it is something we all struggle with at some stage..
Thanks for sharing Lynn.
Jeff
Jeffrey Sooey recently posted..Sports Psychology and Coaching: How To Be A Winner
Hi Jeffrey, Discipline affects our life greatly, doesn’t it? Thanks for your comment and for stopping by my blog.
Hello Lynn
Instilling self-control in children is very important> I recently read this about self-control. Self-control may be the secret to success, according to a persuasive new study that followed 1,000 children from birth to age 32: children who showed early signs of self-mastery were not only less likely to have developed addictions or committed a crime by adulthood, but were also healthier and wealthier than their more impulsive. The ABCDE method is powerful but as you said self-control must undergird this method.
Thanks
Perry A Davis Jr
Music City
Hi Perry, that sounds like a great study and I believe it is true that self-control has a huge impact on our lives for the better. After all it takes self-control to discipline ourselves to make the proper choices. Have a good one!
Hi Lynn,
Discipline is something that in our family was sorely lacking. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I understood the importance of beign discipline. On of my favorite motivational speakes, Zig Ziglar, said something that has help me become a better person. He says ” The harder you are on yourself, the easier life is.” I see that everyday in others who have not worked on self discipline. They lives seem so chaotic and they never understand why.
Joyce Edwards recently posted..Where is the morality in healthcare
Hi Joyce, I have noticed that about people too. Some get tons of stuff done while others live in a “heap” so to speak. I know we can’t be so rigid that we don’t enjoy life, but I believe organization adds sanity to chaos and peace to people’s hearts.
Hey Lynn I love the story of developing discipline in your daughter. That really is how it is… its WORK and requires a lot of diligence and focus and even excepting that not every day will be perfect. That’s how we grow our businesses and ourselfs. Great story!
Kim
PS: Your twitter button has a bit of a hiccup, check out this post to get it sorted out: http://just-ask-kim.com/simple-twitter-share-button-mistake-costing-traffic/ (Might also want to check out the post on the community blog about the new commentluv settings) Feel free to quick edit this comment and remove the PS when you’re done!
Kimberly Castleberry recently posted..TimThumb WordPress Security Issue Additional Info You Need To Know!
Hi Kimberly, Thanks so much! I really appreciate you helping me with any hiccups on my blog. I will attend to that soon. If I have any problems I know who to get in touch with.
Interesting system, Lynn… I can see how organizing your tasks in this manner would be very useful.
I think that any system that works for someone and keeps them on track if a great system to have. As for myself, lately I have been replacing my To Do lists with Mind Maps. I find that laying things out in a visual manner helps me keep things straight and I can see the relative importance of everything much more clearly.
Dr. Bob Clarke recently posted..“Have You Seen My Husband?”… My Very Personal Memories of September 11, 2001
Hi Dr Bob, I am a visual learner, so I think I would be interested in Mind Maps. Thanks for stopping by!
Great post Lynn,
This technique is really valuable and for people who are in information overload, it can help them to know which actions matter most and make sure to get them set even if things come up that will prevent everything from getting done.
The way you share is so much more effective than the regular checklists that a lot of people are using.
The approach you share reminds me of the “jar full of rocks” metaphor that Covey used in First Things First, where if you fill a jar with the big rocks first(most important things) smaller rocks can be added later but not the other way around.
Paul Reimers recently posted..How to Ride a Purple Cow and Stand Out from the Competition
Paul, I do agree with you, it is effective for ones who have info overload. It helps us to sort out what is most valuable for each day and what can be left to C,D, or E. I love that metaphor about the Jar of rocks. We need all the help we can get to prioritize our goals.
“The more I learn about Goal setting and making lists, the more I realize it all boils down to one word and one word only. The big “D” word.”
When I read your opening sentence, I thought the big D word was DO!!! I guess that shows you where I am being whipped into shape lately…
Discipline is a tough one, but so important to master!
I like your ABCDE approach… it’s an excellent way of sorting that list out.
Willena Flewelling
Willena Flewelling recently posted..Why aren’t they Playing in My Sandbox?
Hi Willena, You know that is an important word. “Do” Because if we don’t do anything it isn’t going to get done.
We have to discipline ourselves to DO.
Hi Lynn, what a fun way to sort out the tasks! Have you thought of making up little worksheets and selling them for a small amount? With the frogs and tadpoles of course.
I’m curious, did your daughter eventually learn self control?
Thanks for your intriguing posts, regards from Julieanne
Julieanne van Zyl recently posted..An MLM Leads Conversion System
Hi Julieanne, Actually I have not thought of selling little worksheets, but they would be cute wouldn’t they. My daughter turned out wonderful. We are very proud of her. She was our adventurous one, has been a missionary and has traveled to many different countries. Thanks for you sweet comments.
I have to do that with my lists because if I don’t, I end up doing other things on my list that aren’t as important. It helps focus.
Melodie Kantner recently posted..How Attraction Marketing Helps You Love What You Do
Hi Melodie, so true…..it is so easy to be distracted down rabbit trails (or eating tadpoles) when we should be eating our frogs! Have a great day!
Lynn,
Great post, I am a great believer in using a list to keep focus. I find if I do not have a list , I can get side tracked to easily. I do like to use evernote for keeping me organised and it is great as there is an app for my iPhone. Take care Rosemary
Rosemary O’Shaughnessy recently posted..Dragon NaturallySpeaking 11 Home Edition (PC) Our Review
Hi Rosemary, Lists are so important for me, because like you mentioned, they keep us on track. When I get pulled away to other responsibilities, I have a list to come back to. Otherwise, without a list, I find it difficult to pick up where I left off. Stop by again!