In a world full of clutter – between relationships, job responsibilities, hobbies, free time, well-being, and more – it’s hard to focus on what matters most. In the fifth edition of our monthly book club, we dive into “The One Thing” by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan, a productivity book for anyone who wants to achieve extraordinary results in any part of their life.
So what’s the one thing you ask? You’ll have to read on to find out!
In this number one bestseller, Keller and Papasan make the case that, behind every successful person, is their ONE thing. By focusing one’s energy on one thing at a time, versus getting caught up in many little things, people benefit from more rewarding lives. Why? More distractions = less productivity = less time for what matters most (your own well-being, your loved ones, your biggest personal goal, your biggest career goal, your spiritual practice, etc.). To help you narrow in on your one thing, the book presents practical methods for cutting through the clutter, achieving better results in less time, dialling down the stress, mastering what matters most, and more. The key message: less is more! Now that’s something we can agree with.
#1: Don’t go big. Go small.
The common belief is that big success takes time and effort. That’s why people fill their calendars with appointments and create long to-do lists, which just leads to overload. They get lost trying to do too much, and as a result, achieve too little. The result? They settle for less or they abandon their dreams altogether. As the authors state, “Success demands singleness of purpose. You need to be doing fewer things for more effect instead of doing more things with side effects.” Think of your one thing as your “someday” goal. Once you’ve figured that out, you need to identify how many dominoes you need to line up – and then knock down – in order to achieve it.
#2: In that vein, use your time wisely.
It may surprise you, but being successful doesn’t in fact take that much discipline. The authors follow the 80/20 principle, which states that 20% of your actions will produce 80% of your results. Once you’ve decided on your one thing, then you need to identify the 20% (those “high-leverage” activities) that create the 80%. Set aside the time to focus on them – without distraction or multitasking – ideally every morning until they are done. After 66 days, which is how long it takes for a habit to kick in, this will become second-nature for you.
#3: Purpose, priority and productivity go hand-in-hand.
At MAp, we are big on purpose, so this message really resonates with us. Your one thing is your purpose, and you should use it as your guidance compass in every aspect of your life. However, purpose has the power to shape our lives only in direct proportion to the power of the priority we connect it to. As in, purpose without priority is powerless. When you’re clear about your purpose and your priorities, you become a more productive person. And - when you become more productive, you produce more value and get the success you want.
“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.”
To figure out what that step is, first answer the question: What's the one thing I can do, such that by doing it, everything else will be easier or unnecessary?
Next, the book presents a host of practical applications to achieving your one thing:
“Success demands singleness of purpose. You need to be doing fewer things for more effect instead of doing more things with side effects.”
We truly hope this book is the one thing you need to get you on your way to achieving bigger and better results in your life! It sure has helped us to prioritise what truly matters. So tell us, what’s your ONE thing? Comment below.
Lastly, support a local bookshop by buying “The One Thing” here: https://bookshop.org/
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