The ONE Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan: What It Teaches, Who It’s For, Who Should Skip It
3 min read
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Click hereto see it→Click to see The ONE Thing
One question, asked daily, that makes most of your to-do list disappear.
What the book argues
Extraordinary results come from narrowing focus to the single thing that makes everything else easier or unnecessary. The book attacks the myths of multitasking, balance and willpower on demand, then lays out a goal-to-now process from someday goal to the next action today.
Three ideas you can use this week
- The focusing question: what is the ONE thing I can do such that by doing it everything else becomes easier or unnecessary?
- Time-block the one thing first, up to four hours a day, and defend the block like a meeting with your biggest client.
- Goal setting to the now: someday, five years, one year, this month, this week, today, right now.
Who it is for
Entrepreneurs, salespeople and anyone drowning in a long list who suspects three of the items matter and forty do not.
How to turn it into a routine
Each evening write tomorrow’s one thing on an index card. Each morning do it before opening anything with a notification badge.
Who should skip it
If you manage a team of twelve and a family of five, the single-focus ideal will feel unrealistic in places, and the real estate industry examples get repetitive.
Verdict
A short, blunt and useful book. The focusing question alone is worth the price if you actually ask it every morning.
Click hereto see it→Click to see The ONE Thing
If you liked the sound of this
Wishcraft by Barbara Sher
The 1979 book that turned goal setting from corporate exercise into a human process of figuring out what you actually want.
Who Not How by Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin Hardy
Stop asking how do I do this and start asking who can do this for me.
Tools that put the book to work
Reading is the easy part. Three simple tools that turn the idea into a daily routine:
Undated Daily Planner Pad
One page, one day, three priorities. Nothing to configure. Read our review.
Super Sticky Notes
One task per note. Peel it off when done. The list that shrinks visibly. Read our review.
Framed Cork Board
Pin the goal where you cannot un-see it. Read our review.
Links are affiliate links; the price to you is identical. Nothing here is medical, financial or professional advice. Filed under Goals & Execution.
More picks, with pictures
Three tools and three books that fit the same goal. Each has its own full review here, including who should skip it.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Images are our own review cards, not product photos.
Launch list
Be there on day one.
One email when the book opens on Kickstarter. Nothing else. Already reading the book? Your Cheat Sheet is at wisdomdeck.com/free.
Coming soon on 
The book itself — 40 laws in ten parts, 320 pages, each ending with The Work — is funded first on Kickstarter.
