2nd February 2026
This Principle, often highlighted by Tim Ferriss and popular in business, is a metaphor which advises that focus on big, important, high-impact, and challenging tasks (“antelope”) rather than small, urgent, trivial tasks (“field mice”).
It posits that while small, easy tasks provide instant, daily satisfaction, they do not create long-term value, leading to stagnation—or, as the metaphor says, the “lion” will starve.
It uses the brilliant illustration and the analogy of the field mice and the antelope to explain the need to focus on the big things and let the little stuff slide.
A lion is fully capable of capturing, killing, and eating a field mouse. But, the energy required to do so exceeds the caloric content of the mouse itself.
So a lion that spent its day hunting and eating field mice would slowly starve to death.
A lion can’t live on field mice. A lion needs antelope, which are big animals.
They take more speed and strength to capture and kill, and once killed, they provide a feast for the lion and her pride.
The distinction is important.
Are you spending all your time and exhausting all your energy catching field mice?
In the short term it might give you a nice, rewarding feeling being busy and thinking that you are making progress.
But in the long run you’re going to end up hungry and unsatisfied spending energy on opportunities that don’t move the needle.
So ask yourself at the end of the day, “Did I spend today chasing mice or hunting antelope?”
If you look at your calendar for the last month or your to-do list for next week, check it out: Are you hunting field mice or antelope?
Just like the Lion, every single day, you have the choice,
Choose well & stay blessed forever.