The One Thing - Gary Keller and Jay Papasan

Ever heard the saying, “If you chase two rabbits, you will not catch either one”? I bet you have. And that’s the premise of The One Thing, authored by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan. They want to help you focus so you can be more productive. And they’ve bolied down their entire process into one simple focusing question:

They realized, through their diversified experiences, that big success comes when we do a few thiings well. You need to be doing fewer, more impactful things instead of many pointless things. The goal is to be productive, not just busy. In order to increase your productivity, it is necessary to ignore all the menial things you could do, and focus on doing what must be done, or else… recognize that not all things matter equally. Your job is to find things that matter most and do them well. Do one thing – the right thing.

Here’s a trick they recommend. Make a list of all the things to could do and should do in order to get a result. Prioritize this list in order of importance, and then do the most important thing until it’s done. Every day, prioritize your list, find the most important thing, and then do it until it’s done. They say, “Extraordinary success is sequential, not simultaneous. You do the right thing nd then you do the next right thing. Over time it adds up to extraordinary success.”

“There can only be one most important thing.

Many things may be important,

but only one can be the most important.”

Ross Garber

The question to ask is this, “Where’s the place I can have the biggest impact?” instead of wasting time on many different things, focus on the most impactful few. It’s not about doing the most activity, it’s about accomplishing the most important results. Don’t just do things because they appear on your to do list. Focus on the vital few, and delegate the trivial many.

No. that’s why we have principles like the 80/20 principle, which suggests that not everything maters equally, because some tings lead to better results than others. That’s why you need to prioritize your to do list and find the most important thiings that will lead to the best results. Say no to anything else until your most important thing is done.

They give advice about how to achieve your goals in your personal life.

They say, “Passion for something leads to disproportionate time practicing or working at it. That time spent eventually translates to skill. And when skill improves, results improve. Better results generally lead to more enjoyment, and more passion, and more time invested. It can be a virtuous cycle all the way to extraordinary results.” So what’s the point? Simple. Spend disproportionate time on things that matter most. Doing the most important thng is always the most important thing.

Multitasking is a myth. We cannot focus on two things at once. We keep switching our attention from one thing to the other, which leads to exhaustion, not to mention the switching costs of moving your attention from one thing to another. You’re not multitasking – you’re juggling. You toss one ball in the air while you try to catch another one. Then you toss and catch, and toss and catch again and again. Musltitasking is a distraction, which leads to poor choices, painful mistakes and unnecessary stress and more loose ends than finished projects. Advice: figure out what matters most in the moment and give it your undivided attention.

Gary and  Jay claim that success is actually a short race – a sprint fueled by discipline just long enough for habit to kick in and take over. They say success is about doing the right thing, not doing everything right. The trick to success is to chase the right habit and bring just enough discipline to make the habit stick. Habits make your life easier, provided they are the right habits.

And remember, habit formation is always more difficult in the beginning, because your old, unproductive habits are still pulling you in. but once its established, inertia takes over and they become much easier to maintain. You only need to force your discipline for 66 to 90 days. After that, habits become automatic and easier. And now ask yourself the magic question: “What’s one habit I need to develop such that by developing it everything else becomes easier or unnecessary?”

We learned a great deal about this in the Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. Willpower is a finite resource. It gets depleted with use, that’s why you need to focus on the most important things first, while your willpower is still at its maximum capacity. As you use it throughout the day, it declines, and you get more tired, making you unable to focus at 100%. You need to train your willpower to make it last longer so you can get more done. Eat the right foods so you don’t put additional stress on your body and mind. Work with your body and mind, not against it.

The authors argue that balance is impossible because extraordinary results require focused time and attention. Time on one thing means time away from another. If you try to balance everything out, you will fall into the trap of multitasking – spending time on thee less important 80% instead of focusing on the most important 20%. To be successful, you need to allocate disproportionate time to your most important things, and starve your less important activities. Some things have to be more important than others. Decide which is which, and allocate your time accordingly. Now, obviously, you need tiem for rest and recuperation. So make time for that as well.

“No one knows their ultimate ceiling for achievement, so worrying about it is a waste of time. “ Do the best you can. Go as big as you can. Don’t put chains on your potential. Fearful thinking will stifle your progress and affect your confidence and happiness negatively. Adopt a growth mindset that allows you to grow and be adventurous. They’re not suggesting you take stupid risks, but rather that you pursue the things you truly want instead of just running from the things you don’t want. The level and effectiveness of your actions is based on your faith and belief in your ability to perform. So if you think you only deserve small success, you will take small actions that are not a true reflection of your potential. “If courage isn’t the absence of fear, but moving past it, then thinking big isn’t the absence of doubts, but moving past them.”

Don’t try to do too many things. Scattered focus produces weak results. Concentrate your energy on the most important things at any given time. And this focusing question will help you accomplish just that.

They explain that the questions must be asked in two contexts: 1) Big picture context: Where am I going? Which direction do I want my life to take? 2) Small focus context: What must I do right now to be on the path to getting the big picture?

The focusing question forces you to be specific. It reminds you that action is required. It reminds you that not all things are equal, so you must decide which is more important. It reminds you that actions have consequences. So your job is to focus on the actions that have the most desirable consequences and give you the best leverage for success.

Apply the focusing question to all areas of your life: your spiritual life, physical health, personal life, key relationships, job, business, and finances. Start from big picture and drill down to small focus, from your someday goals to your right now actions.

“What’s the ONE thing I can do in five years such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?”

“What’s the ONE thing I can do this year such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?”

“What’s the ONE thing I can do right now such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?”

You can even apply the focusing question to specific goals, example, “What’s the one thing I can do to double sales in six months such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?”

What goal are you chasing? What actions could you take to get this result? Of these, which are the most important actions that I must take? Of these, what’s the most important action I must take right now to make everything else easier or unnecessary? Be specific about your someday goal, then your five year goal, then your one year goal, then your monthly goal, your weekly goal, your today goal, and then your right now goal.

Protect your productivity by blocking out segments in your day to focus on your goals. Time blocking is a way of making sure that what needs to be done gets done. If you would be great, then devote time every day to work on your greatness. Ask yourself the question, “based on where I am right now, what’s the one thng I need to do this week to stay on track for my montlhy goal?”

This is just one productivity device discussed in The One Thing. There are many more tips and ideas to help you achieve extreme productivity in the shortest time possible. In the workbook we mention just a few of these and show you how to get them done. The authors also discuss the big four thieves of your productivity that are stealing your success and happiness. They discuss how to get clear on your goals. They discuss how to protect your environment. All these action exercises are contained within the free workbook,

available now at https://www.successclub.co.za/free.

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