Personal DevelopmentProductivity

The One Thing : The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results

by Gary Keller

In this book, Gary Keller has identified that behind every successful person is their ONE Thing. No matter how success is measured, personal or professional, only the ability to dismiss distractions and concentrate on your ONE Thing stands between you and your goals he One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth behind Extraordinary Resultsis a book on productivity and personal effectiveness. It’s about going small, and becoming laser-focused on what truly matters.

Success Leaves Clues

One Product/ Service: Companies that are extraordinarily successful always have one signature product or service e.g. KFC’s secret chicken recipe, Google’s search.
One Person: Every successful person (e.g. Walt Disney, Albert Einstein, Oprah Winfrey) has that one person who made all the difference, guiding them in the right direction or lending a helping hand at a pivotal point.
One Passion/ Skill: Extraordinarily successful people have one intense passion or ability that stands out, defines and drives them.

Banishing the Six Lies of Success

20:80 Rule: The Myth: Everything matters equally. The Truth: 20% of your efforts generate 80% of your results (Pareto Principle). So What: Find and focus on your ONE Thing.
Single-Tasking: The Myth: Multitasking gets more done. The Truth: Multitasking leads to more mistakes, poorer choices, and greater stress. So What: Give your most important work your undivided attention.
Habits: The Myth: We must live a disciplined life. The Truth: We just need to form the right habits. So What: Don’t be a disciplined person. Be a person of powerful habits.
Willpower: The Myth: It’s summoned when needed. The Truth: It gets depleted with use. So What: Use your willpower wisely.
Balanced Life: The Myth: We should live a balanced life. The Truth: A balanced life equals compromise on all fronts. So What: Apply counterbalance.
Think Big: The Myth: Big is bad (complex, difficult). The Truth: Big thinking drives big action and results. So What: Push your limits.

The Focusing Question

The quality of our questions determines the quality of the answers. By asking the Focusing Question, you drive yourself to make the best possible decisions. You’ll need to ask this question repeatedly — it will lead to your first domino, then the next, and the next.

How to define The Big Picture (your purpose and “big why”) and The Small Focus (your immediate next step).
How to create the greatest impact in all important areas of your life (relationships, health, career, finances, etc.).
How to use it to find great answers.

Achieving Extraordinary Results

Live with purpose to get extraordinary results. Productivity and profits in business are driven by two areas:

Your Big ONE Thing = your purpose
Your Small ONE Thing = your priority (that you take action on)

Live for Productivity

With your goals aligned, you are ready to take concrete action. The book highlights three key areas with practical, effective steps to boost personal productivity:

Use Time Blocking to ensure what has to get done actually gets done.
Make the three Key Commitments: Mastery, Productivity, and Accountability, which are essential to your success.
Manage the four Thieves of Productivity: Inability to Say “No”, Fear of Chaos, Poor Health Habits, and Environment that Doesn’t Support Your Goals.

The One Thing : The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results

by Gary Keller

Success Leaves Clues

One Product/ Service: Companies that are extraordinarily successful always have one signature product or service e.g. KFC’s secret chicken recipe, Google’s search.
One Person: Every successful person (e.g. Walt Disney, Albert Einstein, Oprah Winfrey) has that one person who made all the difference, guiding them in the right direction or lending a helping hand at a pivotal point.
One Passion/ Skill: Extraordinarily successful people have one intense passion or ability that stands out, defines and drives them.

Banishing the Six Lies of Success

20:80 Rule: The Myth: Everything matters equally. The Truth: 20% of your efforts generate 80% of your results (Pareto Principle). So What: Find and focus on your ONE Thing.
Single-Tasking: The Myth: Multitasking gets more done. The Truth: Multitasking leads to more mistakes, poorer choices, and greater stress. So What: Give your most important work your undivided attention.
Habits: The Myth: We must live a disciplined life. The Truth: We just need to form the right habits. So What: Don’t be a disciplined person. Be a person of powerful habits.
Willpower: The Myth: It’s summoned when needed. The Truth: It gets depleted with use. So What: Use your willpower wisely.
Balanced Life: The Myth: We should live a balanced life. The Truth: A balanced life equals compromise on all fronts. So What: Apply counterbalance.
Think Big: The Myth: Big is bad (complex, difficult). The Truth: Big thinking drives big action and results. So What: Push your limits.

The Focusing Question

How to define The Big Picture (your purpose and “big why”) and The Small Focus (your immediate next step).
How to create the greatest impact in all important areas of your life (relationships, health, career, finances, etc.).
How to use it to find great answers.

Achieving Extraordinary Results

Live with purpose to get extraordinary results. Productivity and profits in business are driven by two areas:

Your Big ONE Thing = your purpose
Your Small ONE Thing = your priority (that you take action on)

Live for Productivity

With your goals aligned, you are ready to take concrete action. The book highlights three key areas with practical, effective steps to boost personal productivity:

Use Time Blocking to ensure what has to get done actually gets done.
Make the three Key Commitments: Mastery, Productivity, and Accountability, which are essential to your success.
Manage the four Thieves of Productivity: Inability to Say “No”, Fear of Chaos, Poor Health Habits, and Environment that Doesn’t Support Your Goals.