BOOK
SUMMARY (8)
The
ONE Thing
·
Summary written by: Jill Donahue
“The ONE
Thing sits at the heart of success and is the starting point for achieving
extraordinary results.”
– The One Thing, page 24
Think about the information and opportunities
your great-grandmother received in her lifetime. Now contrast that with the
information and opportunities you have. Staggering, isn’t it? You
receive more information and opportunities in a day than your ancestors did in
a lifetime. The
unintended consequence of this abundance however is that you likely sometimes
you feel harried and hurried with an ongoing sense that you attempt to do too
much and accomplish too little.
Intuitively, you may sense that the path to
more is through less. What if less is truly more?Gary
Keller wrote The One Thing to convince us that focusing on your
ONE Thing leads to tremendous results and to teach us how to choose that one
thing. Once I realized the enormous implications of focusing on just ONE Thing
in the first section of the book, I was anxious to proceed to the remaining
three sections to learn the myths that derail us, his simple path to
productivity and finally, how to unlock the possibilities within. I touch on
each below.
The Golden Egg
Do you have a domino?
"When one
thing, the right thing, is set in motion, it can topple many things. "- The One Thing, page 13
Fact. A single domino is capable of bringing
down a domino 50% larger than itself. Gary provides a ‘what if’ diagram to
demonstrate the implication of this fact. It starts with a two-inch tall
domino. Domino 18 rivals the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The 23rd domino towers over the Eiffel Tower
and the 31st looms
over Mount Everest. Domino 57 practically bridges the distance between the
earth and the moon.
So, in other words, when you think about
success, shoot for the moon. The
moon is reachable if you prioritize everything and put all of your energy into
the ONE most important thing. Getting extraordinary results is about creating
this domino effect in your life.
Gary shares extensive proof that the ONE
thing is everywhere. He demonstrates how extraordinarily successful companies
always have one product or service they’re most known for or that makes them
the most money. For example, I bet you know the ONE Thing that KFC, Starbucks,
and The Adolph Coors Company are known for. A no brainer right?
What is your company’s ONE Thing? If you don’t
know, then your company’s ONE Thing is to find out! What
if there was just one thing that could move you from ordinary to extraordinary?
Gem #1
It all starts inside you!
"Success
is an inside job"- The One
Thing, page 216
All success in life starts within you. When
you put yourself together your world falls into place. How do you do that?
Bring purpose to your life, know your priorities and achieve
high productivity on the priority that matters most every day. That’s when life will make sense and
the extraordinary becomes possible.
Over time, focusing on that ONE Thing will
produce the results. Once we let go of the myths that we have been led to
believe, we can focus on the ONE Thing. Those myths include:
1.
Everything matters
equally – Don’t be tempted by the “check-off’ game. Crossing
items off the to-do list does not lead to success just as activity is not
necessarily related to productivity. Achievers always work from a clear sense
of priority.
2.
Multitask –
It just doesn’t work. Block time to stay focused. Don’t chase the shiny object
or think you can overcome human limitations and actually focus on two things at
once. It can’t be done.
3.
Live a disciplined
life – Have you ever thought “if only I was more disciplined”?
Don’t worry, you don’t need to be. In fact those people who you think are so
disciplined really aren’t. They have just formed all the right habits. Success
is actually a short race – a sprint fueled by discipline just long enough to
form a habit. Choosing and building the right habits are the keys to success.
4.
Willpower will get
you through. Just like the battery on your phone, your willpower has a
limited life and it wanes as you use your mind and the day goes on. Once you
know this, you see the importance of doing the most important work first thing
in the day – when your willpower is highest. His recommendation is to block
four hours a day for your ONE Thing.
5.
A balanced life. It
cannot be perfectly balanced. Rather, an extraordinary life is a
counterbalancing act. Let the right things take precedence when they should and
get to the rest when you can.
6.
Big is bad. Don’t
fear failure. Adopt a growth mindset. Only living big will let you experience
your true life and work potential. So set a stretch goal so far above what you
want that you’ll be building a plan that practically guarantees your original
goal.
And the four thieves of productivity include:
1.
Inability to say
‘no’. Think of it this way, when you say ‘yes’ to something,
what must you now say ‘no’ to? Is the request you are considering connected to
your ONE Thing?
2.
Fear of chaos. Know
that when you strive for greatness chaos is certain to join the party.
3.
Poor health habits. Mismanagement
of your personal energy is the silent thief of productivity. Big results
require big energy. Your body cannot be fooled. It will either be fueled
correctly and run efficiently, or it won’t.
4.
Environment that
doesn’t support your goals. Pay attention to who you surround yourself with. You will
become like them – for the good or the bad.
Gem #2
Easier or Unnecessary
"What’s
the ONE Thing I can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or
unnecessary?"- The ONE Thing, page 106
What is the one question you need to ask
yourself? This focusing question is so deceptively simple that its power is
easily dismissed by anyone who doesn’t closely examine it. It’s worth
repeating:
What’s the ONE Thing I can do such that by
doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?
You can use it for big issues (What target
should I aim for? Where am I going?), as well as small ones (What must I do
right now to be on the path to getting the big picture?) The answer can show
you how big your life can be as well as how small you must go to get there.
The focusing question leads you to your first
domino. To stay on track keep asking yourself the focusing question to achieve
your best day, week, month year or career. Powered by the focusing question,
your actions become a natural progression of building one right thing on top of
the previous right thing.That’s
when you experience the domino effect.
Your journey toward extraordinary results
will be built on one important element. You must believe in what you are trying
to achieve. Find the purpose in what you are doing. What difference are you making
and why? This will give you the personal power necessary to drive you through
any hesitancy. Now, what is your one thing for the coming year, month, week,
day, hour?
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