The ONE Thing
The surprisingly simple truth behind extraordinary results
Book Edition Details
Summary
"The ONE Thing (2013) helps you to discover your most important goal, and gives you tools to ensure you can use your time productively to get there. The book reveals that many of the maxims we accept as good practice are actually myths that only hinder our progress. It also provides advice on how to live your life with priority, purpose and productivity without sending other aspects of life out of balance, because this is the way to perform the kind of focused work that leads to great success."
Introduction
In a world that constantly demands your attention, where endless to-do lists and competing priorities create a sense of overwhelming chaos, there exists a surprisingly simple truth that can transform your life. What if the key to extraordinary results isn't about doing more, but about doing less? What if success comes not from juggling multiple priorities, but from identifying the single most important thing that makes everything else easier or unnecessary? This revolutionary approach challenges everything you've been taught about productivity and achievement. When you discover your ONE Thing and give it the focused attention it deserves, you unlock a level of effectiveness that seems almost magical to outside observers, yet is beautifully simple in its execution.
Breaking Free from Productivity Lies
The path to extraordinary results begins with recognizing the dangerous myths that keep most people trapped in mediocrity. These productivity lies masquerade as conventional wisdom, convincing us that multitasking is efficient, that everything matters equally, and that a balanced life is the ultimate goal. Consider the story of a successful business executive who discovered the devastating cost of these lies. For years, she prided herself on her ability to juggle multiple projects simultaneously, responding to emails during meetings, taking phone calls while reviewing reports, and managing countless priorities with equal attention. She believed this made her more valuable and productive. However, when her company faced a critical crisis that required deep, focused thinking, she found herself unable to concentrate for more than a few minutes at a time. Her multitasking habits had literally rewired her brain for distraction. The turning point came when she committed to focusing on just one critical project for four uninterrupted hours each morning. Initially, this felt uncomfortable and even irresponsible. Her inbox filled with unread messages, other projects waited, and she worried about disappointing colleagues. But within weeks, she had solved the company's most pressing challenge, generated breakthrough innovations, and ironically found herself with more time for other important matters. To break free from these productivity lies, start by identifying your biggest myth. Are you trying to do everything at once? Do you believe that being busy equals being productive? Begin each day by asking yourself what single action would make the biggest difference, then protect that time fiercely. Remember that saying no to the trivial many allows you to say yes to the vital few.
Master the Focusing Question Method
At the heart of extraordinary achievement lies a deceptively simple tool that can revolutionize how you approach any goal or challenge. The Focusing Question cuts through complexity and confusion to reveal what truly matters most in any given moment. Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian in history, embodies the power of this focused approach. Despite being diagnosed with ADHD as a child and being told by teachers that he would never be able to focus on anything, Phelps discovered his focusing question early. From age fourteen through his Olympic triumph, his question was consistent: "What's the one thing I can do in the pool today that will make me faster?" This singular focus led him to train seven days a week, 365 days a year, accumulating over 10,000 hours of deliberate practice by age twenty. The transformation was remarkable. The boy who couldn't sit still in kindergarten became known for his laser-like concentration and ability to perform under the most intense pressure. His mother later marveled at "Michael's ability to focus," which had become his strongest attribute. This wasn't natural talent alone, but the result of consistently asking and acting on his focusing question. To master this method, begin with the fundamental question: "What's the ONE Thing I can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?" Apply this daily to your most important goals. When facing a complex project, ask what single action would unlock the most progress. When building a skill, identify the one practice that would accelerate your development most rapidly. Make this question your daily compass, guiding you toward the highest-leverage activities that compound your results over time.
Build Your ONE Thing System
Creating lasting extraordinary results requires more than occasional focused effort; it demands a systematic approach that makes your ONE Thing inevitable. This system transforms sporadic bursts of productivity into a sustainable engine for achievement. The story of author Stephen King illustrates this systematic approach perfectly. King has published over sixty novels and sold more than 350 million books worldwide, yet his success isn't built on sporadic inspiration or heroic effort. Instead, King follows a rigorous system: every morning belongs to his most important writing project, and he commits to writing 2,000 words daily, regardless of inspiration, mood, or circumstances. This four-hour morning block is sacred and non-negotiable. Afternoons are for correspondence and editing, evenings for reading and family time. This systematic approach has produced consistent output for decades. King's system demonstrates three critical components: time blocking, energy management, and environment design. He protects his peak energy hours for his most important work, maintains physical and mental health to sustain performance, and creates an environment that eliminates distractions during his focused work sessions. When asked about his extraordinary productivity, King simply says, "Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work." To build your own ONE Thing system, start by identifying your peak energy hours and blocking them exclusively for your most important work. Create physical and digital environments that support deep focus, removing distractions and temptations. Develop supporting habits around nutrition, exercise, and sleep that maintain your energy levels. Most importantly, treat your ONE Thing time block as the most important appointment of your day, one that cannot be moved or cancelled. Remember, consistency compounds, and small daily actions toward your ONE Thing create extraordinary results over time.
Summary
The path to extraordinary results isn't found in doing more things, but in doing the right thing with unwavering focus and systematic precision. As this book reveals, "You can do two things at once, but you can't focus effectively on two things at once." This fundamental truth cuts through the noise of modern productivity advice and points toward a simpler, more powerful way of living and working. When you identify your ONE Thing, protect it with time blocks, and build systems that make focused work inevitable, you join the ranks of history's most successful individuals who understood that extraordinary results come from extraordinary focus. Your journey begins with a single question and a single action: identify what matters most right now, and give it the focused attention it deserves. The domino effect of this simple choice will surprise you with its power to transform not just your productivity, but your entire life.
By Gary Keller
