What do you think?
Rate this book
The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results
The One Thing explains the success habit to overcome the six lies that block our success, beat the seven thieves that steal time, and leverage the laws of purpose, priority, and productivity.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
About the author
Gary Keller
66 books989 followersProfessionally, Gary’s ONE Thing is teaching. He excelled as a real estate salesperson by teaching clients how to make great buying and selling decisions. As a real estate sales manager, he recruited agents through training and helped them build careers the same way. As co-founder and chairman of the board, he built Keller Williams Realty International from a single office in Austin, Texas, to one of the largest real estate companies in the world by using his skills as a teacher, trainer, and coach. Gary defines leadership as “teaching people how to think the way they need to think so they can do what they need to do when they need to do it, so they can get what they want when they want it.”
An Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and finalist for Inc. Magazine’s Entrepreneur of the Year, Gary is recognized as one of the most influential leaders in the real estate industry. He has also helped many small business owners and entrepreneurs find success through his bestselling books The Millionaire Real Estate Agent, The Millionaire Real Estate Investor, and SHIFT: How Top Real Estate Agents Tackle Tough Times. A book, after all, is just another way to teach, but one with an infinitely large classroom. As a business coach and national trainer, Gary has helped countless others realize extraordinary results by focusing on their ONE Thing.
Unsurprising to those who know him, Gary’s single greatest achievement is the life he’s built with his wife, Mary, and their son, John.
An Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and finalist for Inc. Magazine’s Entrepreneur of the Year, Gary is recognized as one of the most influential leaders in the real estate industry. He has also helped many small business owners and entrepreneurs find success through his bestselling books The Millionaire Real Estate Agent, The Millionaire Real Estate Investor, and SHIFT: How Top Real Estate Agents Tackle Tough Times. A book, after all, is just another way to teach, but one with an infinitely large classroom. As a business coach and national trainer, Gary has helped countless others realize extraordinary results by focusing on their ONE Thing.
Unsurprising to those who know him, Gary’s single greatest achievement is the life he’s built with his wife, Mary, and their son, John.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,987 reviews
February 21, 2015
This book is really deep. While the title is easily marketable I felt the insight was really profound and one of those books I'll definitely need to reference throughout my journey.
KEY INSIGHTS
- Extraordinary results are determined by how narrow you can make your focus
- Do fewer things for more effect instead of doing more things with side effects
- Small dominos can topple much larger dominos; stack them right
- Success is built sequentially
- Not everything deserves equal time
- Achievers always work from a clear sense of priority
- Mulitasking is a lie and it does not work
- Discipline and habit intersect
- It takes 66 days to create a habit
- Become a person of powerful habits
- Willpower is limited
- Success = Being appropriate in the moments of your life
- Connecting purpose, priority, and productivity determines how high above the rest successful individuals and profitable businesses rise
- Happiness happens on the way to fulfillment
- Purpose without priority is powerless
- Resting is as important as working
- To experience extra ordinary results, be a maker in the morning and a manager in the afternoon (See Paul Graham's article: Maker’s Schedule, Manager’s Schedule)
- Personal energy mismanagement is a silent thief of productivity
- Your environment must support your goals
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
- Create a success list as compared to a to-do list
- Say “no” more
- Be like a surgeon and avoid distractions; respect my work
- Ask quality questions
- Determine my “System”
- After you have picked your one thing, your number one priority should be protecting the time you use to work with your ONE thing.
- You should reserve four hours of non-interrupted time from your day only to work with your ONE thing.
THE FOCUSING QUESTION
“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” - Chinese proverb
So too must the journey toward extraordinary results. To determine that first step (and every step thereafter) we have to ask the right question. Keller calls it the Focusing Question:
“What’s the ONE Thing I can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?”
Once you’re asking the right question, the key is to use it to narrow down all the things that you could do, to the ONE Thing that you SHOULD do. Then it goes like this:
The ONE Thing you should do today feeds into your ONE Thing this week, then this month… and so on. These small steps create the path to your ONE big goal.
“One thing” is in reference to an idea. Everyone should pick one thing and focus completely to the one thing only.
FAVORITE ANECDOTES
Michael Phelps selected swimming and practiced six hours every day. And he became the most successful swimmer and most decorated Olympian of all time with 22 medals.
Steve Jobs reduced number of Apples products when he rejoined Apple and rest is history we all know.
MEANINGFUL QUOTES
“Be like a postage stamp— stick to one thing until you get there.” – Josh Billings
“Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
“To do two things at once is to do neither.” – Publilius Syrus
“Success is simple. Do what’s right, the right way, at the right time.” – Arnold H. Glasow
“People do not decide their futures, they decide their habits and their habits decide their futures.” – F. M. Alexander
“Productivity isn’t about being a workhorse, keeping busy or burning the midnight oil… . It’s more about priorities, planning, and fiercely protecting your time.” – Margarita Tartakovsky
“Efficiency is doing the thing right. Effectiveness is doing the right thing.” – Peter Drucker
“Surround yourself only with people who are going to lift you higher.” – Oprah Winfrey
KEY INSIGHTS
- Extraordinary results are determined by how narrow you can make your focus
- Do fewer things for more effect instead of doing more things with side effects
- Small dominos can topple much larger dominos; stack them right
- Success is built sequentially
- Not everything deserves equal time
- Achievers always work from a clear sense of priority
- Mulitasking is a lie and it does not work
- Discipline and habit intersect
- It takes 66 days to create a habit
- Become a person of powerful habits
- Willpower is limited
- Success = Being appropriate in the moments of your life
- Connecting purpose, priority, and productivity determines how high above the rest successful individuals and profitable businesses rise
- Happiness happens on the way to fulfillment
- Purpose without priority is powerless
- Resting is as important as working
- To experience extra ordinary results, be a maker in the morning and a manager in the afternoon (See Paul Graham's article: Maker’s Schedule, Manager’s Schedule)
- Personal energy mismanagement is a silent thief of productivity
- Your environment must support your goals
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
- Create a success list as compared to a to-do list
- Say “no” more
- Be like a surgeon and avoid distractions; respect my work
- Ask quality questions
- Determine my “System”
- After you have picked your one thing, your number one priority should be protecting the time you use to work with your ONE thing.
- You should reserve four hours of non-interrupted time from your day only to work with your ONE thing.
THE FOCUSING QUESTION
“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” - Chinese proverb
So too must the journey toward extraordinary results. To determine that first step (and every step thereafter) we have to ask the right question. Keller calls it the Focusing Question:
“What’s the ONE Thing I can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?”
Once you’re asking the right question, the key is to use it to narrow down all the things that you could do, to the ONE Thing that you SHOULD do. Then it goes like this:
The ONE Thing you should do today feeds into your ONE Thing this week, then this month… and so on. These small steps create the path to your ONE big goal.
“One thing” is in reference to an idea. Everyone should pick one thing and focus completely to the one thing only.
FAVORITE ANECDOTES
Michael Phelps selected swimming and practiced six hours every day. And he became the most successful swimmer and most decorated Olympian of all time with 22 medals.
Steve Jobs reduced number of Apples products when he rejoined Apple and rest is history we all know.
MEANINGFUL QUOTES
“Be like a postage stamp— stick to one thing until you get there.” – Josh Billings
“Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
“To do two things at once is to do neither.” – Publilius Syrus
“Success is simple. Do what’s right, the right way, at the right time.” – Arnold H. Glasow
“People do not decide their futures, they decide their habits and their habits decide their futures.” – F. M. Alexander
“Productivity isn’t about being a workhorse, keeping busy or burning the midnight oil… . It’s more about priorities, planning, and fiercely protecting your time.” – Margarita Tartakovsky
“Efficiency is doing the thing right. Effectiveness is doing the right thing.” – Peter Drucker
“Surround yourself only with people who are going to lift you higher.” – Oprah Winfrey
September 19, 2018
BY CAPTAIN OBVIOUS
The book's big secret: concentrate on ONE thing at a time.
How does it take 140 pages to get ONE Firm Grasp of ONE concept?
State it ONE Hundred different ways.
SAVE YOUR MONEY!
The book's big secret: concentrate on ONE thing at a time.
How does it take 140 pages to get ONE Firm Grasp of ONE concept?
State it ONE Hundred different ways.
SAVE YOUR MONEY!
January 20, 2015
My learnings from the book
(1) If you chase two rabbits, you will not catch either
(2) Go narrow and deep. Ignore all the things that you could do, and do only the things that you should do
(3) Not all things matter equally. Find those that matter the most.
(4) You only have so much time and energy. When you spread yourself out, you end up being thin.
(5) No one is self made. No one succeeds alone. No one. There are many people, wishes and hundreds of situations that must fall in place for you to succeed.
(6) The line between passion and skill is often blurred. Passion leads to disproprotionate practise leding to higher skills leading to better results, which feeds passion further. This chain reaction spirals to extraordinary results.
(7) Things that matter most must never be at the mercy of things that dont. verything does not matter equally. Prioritise.
(8) Things that are most important do not often scream the loudest.
(9) Being busy is not enough. So are the ants.
(10) Multitasking is a myth. A human mind can focus on one task a time. Only involuntary tasks or automated tasks can happen in parallel.
(11) Task switching costs us valuable time to reach the same productivity level as we were, before we left the task.
(12) Select the right task, wotk consistently on it, make it a habit, and then you are liberated from having to monitor it ever. It is automated in your brain.
(13) Will power is not available on will. It keeps getting diminished through the day as you use it.
(14) Do your toughest task in the morning when your will power is at its peak.
(15) A Balanced life is a myth. The reason why we should not pursue balance is that magic happens, not in the middle, but in the extremes.
(16) To achieve extraordinary results, you must chose what matters mostand give it all the time it demands. This requires getting extremely out of balance in relation to other work issues. You may infrequently counterbalance to address them.
(17) No one knows their ultimate ceiling for achievemnt. Giving it a shot is the only way to get an idea.
(18) On the journey to achieving big, you get bigger. Achieving big requires growth, and by the time you arrive, you are big too !
(19) People who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world are the only ones who do.
(20) think big, Aim high, Act bold
(21) Keep your most important appointment with your No. 1 priority..everyday without fail
(22) Until your most important thing of the day is done, everything else is a distraction
(23) Turn off your phone, shutdown your email, close your beowser. Your most important work deserves 100% of your attention
(24) Focus is about deciding what things you are not going to do.
(25) When you strive for greatness, clutter is bound to show up because of your extremen focus on one thing. If a cluttered desk is an indicator of a cluttered mind, what, then represents an empty desk?
(26) It is only when you can visualise a bigger life, can you hope of living one.
(27) Whenever you look back at your life, the things that might cause you the biggest regrets are the things that you did not do. Your actions may be stupid, but it is your inaction that will cause you the regret.
(28) When you dont know what matters most, anything makes sense. The best lives aren't lead this way.
(1) If you chase two rabbits, you will not catch either
(2) Go narrow and deep. Ignore all the things that you could do, and do only the things that you should do
(3) Not all things matter equally. Find those that matter the most.
(4) You only have so much time and energy. When you spread yourself out, you end up being thin.
(5) No one is self made. No one succeeds alone. No one. There are many people, wishes and hundreds of situations that must fall in place for you to succeed.
(6) The line between passion and skill is often blurred. Passion leads to disproprotionate practise leding to higher skills leading to better results, which feeds passion further. This chain reaction spirals to extraordinary results.
(7) Things that matter most must never be at the mercy of things that dont. verything does not matter equally. Prioritise.
(8) Things that are most important do not often scream the loudest.
(9) Being busy is not enough. So are the ants.
(10) Multitasking is a myth. A human mind can focus on one task a time. Only involuntary tasks or automated tasks can happen in parallel.
(11) Task switching costs us valuable time to reach the same productivity level as we were, before we left the task.
(12) Select the right task, wotk consistently on it, make it a habit, and then you are liberated from having to monitor it ever. It is automated in your brain.
(13) Will power is not available on will. It keeps getting diminished through the day as you use it.
(14) Do your toughest task in the morning when your will power is at its peak.
(15) A Balanced life is a myth. The reason why we should not pursue balance is that magic happens, not in the middle, but in the extremes.
(16) To achieve extraordinary results, you must chose what matters mostand give it all the time it demands. This requires getting extremely out of balance in relation to other work issues. You may infrequently counterbalance to address them.
(17) No one knows their ultimate ceiling for achievemnt. Giving it a shot is the only way to get an idea.
(18) On the journey to achieving big, you get bigger. Achieving big requires growth, and by the time you arrive, you are big too !
(19) People who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world are the only ones who do.
(20) think big, Aim high, Act bold
(21) Keep your most important appointment with your No. 1 priority..everyday without fail
(22) Until your most important thing of the day is done, everything else is a distraction
(23) Turn off your phone, shutdown your email, close your beowser. Your most important work deserves 100% of your attention
(24) Focus is about deciding what things you are not going to do.
(25) When you strive for greatness, clutter is bound to show up because of your extremen focus on one thing. If a cluttered desk is an indicator of a cluttered mind, what, then represents an empty desk?
(26) It is only when you can visualise a bigger life, can you hope of living one.
(27) Whenever you look back at your life, the things that might cause you the biggest regrets are the things that you did not do. Your actions may be stupid, but it is your inaction that will cause you the regret.
(28) When you dont know what matters most, anything makes sense. The best lives aren't lead this way.
January 1, 2014
I read THE ONE THING and it is a well-crafted book. I didn’t need to use my yellow highlighter on it because the authors (or some graphic artist) underlined passages throughout on the text—as though the reader did it. The text is well-executed with summary bullet points at the end of each chapter and graphically pleasing with pull quotations.
Here’s my reason for giving this book two stars. The authors get commended for their execution but not their content. The contents are little but worn phrases and clichés that anyone who has read a business book in the last ten years has probably already heard. I found little new. You can skip this one in my view.
Here’s my reason for giving this book two stars. The authors get commended for their execution but not their content. The contents are little but worn phrases and clichés that anyone who has read a business book in the last ten years has probably already heard. I found little new. You can skip this one in my view.
January 13, 2014
This and more reviews, interviews etc on Dark Matter Zine, an online magazine. http://www.darkmatterzine.com. This review was written by James Kennedy for Dark Matter Zine.
Self-help is fantasy for some people and both genres serve similar purposes for the reader. Both genres stimulate our imaginations and allow us to step into the shoes of someone much more powerful than ourselves. Both genres stimulate creativity and encourage lateral thinking, and both genres are capable of conjuring up idyllic (or dystopian) futures from the author’s imagination that can stimulate us (or scare us). The only major difference between the two is that self-help is written literally like an instruction manual whereas the messages in fantasy novels are hidden behind multiple layers of complexity worthy of extended literary analysis.
Admittedly, I usually don’t like self-help books. At worst, they can seem preachy and idiosyncratic. They overuse bold, italics and underlining, which makes the insulting assumption that, like those office workers I mentioned previously, I am incapable of focusing on extended prose. Only a tiny minority of self-help books persist with long-term fame (Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus, for example), while the vast majority get thrown out along with each passing fad.
That said, I do like some self-help books. It was an excellent self-help book that encouraged me to start reading back in 2011. I bought David Buzan’s Speed Reading from a market stall and used it (along with a blog) as motivation to read hundreds of books in the two years that followed. I lapped it up because I needed it. By applying the same logic, I conclude that the target audience of The One Thing is a sedentary desk-worker overwhelmed with boring, repetitive filing tasks and whose life has no sense of fulfillment. I didn’t gain anything from this book because thankfully, I’m not one of those people. I want you to read this review with an image of the book’s target readers in mind.
The One Thing is set in a fantasy world where small-minded, burned-out office workers busy themselves with mundane tasks like organising emails into folders or rearranging staples. People’s attention spans have been crushed, creativity has been killed, and people only skim-read because they have no time to pause and reflect. People are cogs in corporate machines and have forgotten how to think for themselves. Their universe is no wider than an office cubicle, and their only ‘window’ is a glaring computer screen.
The book tried to improve these people’s lives with the following mantra: “Focus on one thing at a time”. It then spends 240 pages rephrasing this same message repeatedly with bewildering diagrams. Some of these diagrams are so confusing that they look satirical. (I’ll be respectful and not post them here.)
The book’s biggest downfall is that it lacks ethos, or credibility. There are no historical references (in fact, there are no references at all) and the “exemplary people” mentioned in this book are all either modern-day corporations or billionaires. Predictably, the book mentions how Apple and Bill Gates both succeeded because they focused on their “One Thing”, but the logic of this link is tenuous at best. Where the ‘good’ self-help books make ample references to ancient wisdom and modern-day science and give dozens of inspiring anecdotes and statistics, The One Thing fails to deliver on all those fronts. I have no reason to take anything in The One Thing seriously.
There’s no foreword. There’s no preface. I therefore start reading chapter one without knowing the authors, without knowing why I should read this book and without knowing what I’m going to gain from it. This is a failing of The One Thing, not of the self-help genre in general. Tony Buzan, to name just one example, puts huge emphasis on the successes of his program before we even start reading. He peppers his writing with inspiring stories that are interesting to share with friends. The One Thing’s authors, however, have cut out all the useful parts (including references, which would have made the book somewhat credible) to make room for some more “fat” in the middle chapters. As a result, The One Thing is a book of zero importance.
The book is also bland. Take this quote as an example of its banality:
I ask, “How much money do you want to earn?” I get all kinds of answers, but usually the number is quite high. When I ask, “How did you pick this number?” I frequently get the familiar answer: “Don’t know”. I then ask, “Can you tell me your definition of a financially wealthy person?” Invariably, I get numbers that start at a million dollars and go up from there. When I ask how they arrived at this, they often say, “It sounds like a lot.” My response is, “It is, and it isn’t. It all depends on what you’d do with it”.
Most of the book is written in this nonsensical language. It hasn’t even been proofread properly and grammatical errors are surprisingly regular. Lacks humour throughout. I wish it didn’t take itself so seriously!
The One Thing doesn’t stand up to the competition. It tells you how to improve your life, but doesn’t do nearly as well as Buddhist books like Happiness or Tiny Buddha, which are also classed as ‘self-help’. It’s so bland that it’s not quite bad enough to be cleverly satirical (like Fight Club); and it lacks the depth of science and history that Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers brought to the table in 2008.
As far as “how to improve your life” goes, it’s nothing compared with Lin Yutang’s The Importance of Living, who wrote at length in beautiful language about the position and placement of objects on your desk, and how to clear your mind before working. Lin Yutang even told us at what times of day we are most productive.
The One Thing is a failed attempt at enlightenment for people in very boring lines of work. Take chapter 12 for example, which is titled “The Path to Great Questions”. After walking us through a brainstorming technique designed to formulate such “great quetsions”, the authors give us these four lame examples:
What can I do to increase sales?
What can I do to double sales?
What can I do to double sales in six months?
What can I do to increase my sales by 5 per cent this year?
WHAT? Is that all that’s on the author’s mind? So dull…
My criticisms aren’t all subjective, either. I also found this book internally-contradictory in places. There’s a whole chapter on “don’t be self-disciplined” (which is controversial purely for its own sake). Just ten pages later, the author says we should all be self-disciplined again, and spends three pages describing an experiment that suggested toddlers with more willpower would grow up to be happier, smarter, richer, healthier adults. So should we be self-disciplined or not? Confusing.
Here’s another contradiction: on page 73, he writes, underlined, “A balanced life is a myth”. We then wade through nine pages of jargon and idiosyncratic diagrams before finding the author’s proposed alternative on page 82: “Counterbalance your personal life bucket” (sic). This is another contradiction at worst, or just jargon-juggling at best. He’s certainly not giving useful advice.
I laughed when I reached page 114. Here, the “One Thing” theory collapses when the authors explain that life is full of “One Things” and then asks us to do all of them in balance. (It therefore looks like the “One Thing” theory has been disproven!)
In conclusion, The One Thing is an idiosyncratic, pointlessly antagonistic and self-contradictory book written for people with no time (or for search engines!). It has tiny chapters, is highly visual, and makes heavy use of capitals, italics and underlining. Actually, this book is so repetitive and confusing that I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that it’s been written for search engines rather than people. This might just be the world’s first “search-engine optimised” book! Such poor-quality conveyance of such poor-quality ideas only deserves to be condensed into a one-page article and posted onto LinkedIn so we can all skim past it. It should never have been made into a book.
As a metaphor, this book is like a non-dry hand wash. I walk past it, I press it and I use it just because it’s there. It feels cold and flavourless and drips off my skin rather than sinking in. Even though it has a short-lived positive impact, I will never feel any long term benefits from having picked it up.
Reading this book is like eating plain tofu straight from the fridge. It’s not unhealthy, it’s just very, very bland—and around half-way through, you’ll realise it’s so pointless and tasteless that you’ll be mocking yourself for ever having read it. Aimed at Fight Club’s protagonist. Not recommended for anyone.
Self-help is fantasy for some people and both genres serve similar purposes for the reader. Both genres stimulate our imaginations and allow us to step into the shoes of someone much more powerful than ourselves. Both genres stimulate creativity and encourage lateral thinking, and both genres are capable of conjuring up idyllic (or dystopian) futures from the author’s imagination that can stimulate us (or scare us). The only major difference between the two is that self-help is written literally like an instruction manual whereas the messages in fantasy novels are hidden behind multiple layers of complexity worthy of extended literary analysis.
Admittedly, I usually don’t like self-help books. At worst, they can seem preachy and idiosyncratic. They overuse bold, italics and underlining, which makes the insulting assumption that, like those office workers I mentioned previously, I am incapable of focusing on extended prose. Only a tiny minority of self-help books persist with long-term fame (Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus, for example), while the vast majority get thrown out along with each passing fad.
That said, I do like some self-help books. It was an excellent self-help book that encouraged me to start reading back in 2011. I bought David Buzan’s Speed Reading from a market stall and used it (along with a blog) as motivation to read hundreds of books in the two years that followed. I lapped it up because I needed it. By applying the same logic, I conclude that the target audience of The One Thing is a sedentary desk-worker overwhelmed with boring, repetitive filing tasks and whose life has no sense of fulfillment. I didn’t gain anything from this book because thankfully, I’m not one of those people. I want you to read this review with an image of the book’s target readers in mind.
The One Thing is set in a fantasy world where small-minded, burned-out office workers busy themselves with mundane tasks like organising emails into folders or rearranging staples. People’s attention spans have been crushed, creativity has been killed, and people only skim-read because they have no time to pause and reflect. People are cogs in corporate machines and have forgotten how to think for themselves. Their universe is no wider than an office cubicle, and their only ‘window’ is a glaring computer screen.
The book tried to improve these people’s lives with the following mantra: “Focus on one thing at a time”. It then spends 240 pages rephrasing this same message repeatedly with bewildering diagrams. Some of these diagrams are so confusing that they look satirical. (I’ll be respectful and not post them here.)
The book’s biggest downfall is that it lacks ethos, or credibility. There are no historical references (in fact, there are no references at all) and the “exemplary people” mentioned in this book are all either modern-day corporations or billionaires. Predictably, the book mentions how Apple and Bill Gates both succeeded because they focused on their “One Thing”, but the logic of this link is tenuous at best. Where the ‘good’ self-help books make ample references to ancient wisdom and modern-day science and give dozens of inspiring anecdotes and statistics, The One Thing fails to deliver on all those fronts. I have no reason to take anything in The One Thing seriously.
There’s no foreword. There’s no preface. I therefore start reading chapter one without knowing the authors, without knowing why I should read this book and without knowing what I’m going to gain from it. This is a failing of The One Thing, not of the self-help genre in general. Tony Buzan, to name just one example, puts huge emphasis on the successes of his program before we even start reading. He peppers his writing with inspiring stories that are interesting to share with friends. The One Thing’s authors, however, have cut out all the useful parts (including references, which would have made the book somewhat credible) to make room for some more “fat” in the middle chapters. As a result, The One Thing is a book of zero importance.
The book is also bland. Take this quote as an example of its banality:
I ask, “How much money do you want to earn?” I get all kinds of answers, but usually the number is quite high. When I ask, “How did you pick this number?” I frequently get the familiar answer: “Don’t know”. I then ask, “Can you tell me your definition of a financially wealthy person?” Invariably, I get numbers that start at a million dollars and go up from there. When I ask how they arrived at this, they often say, “It sounds like a lot.” My response is, “It is, and it isn’t. It all depends on what you’d do with it”.
Most of the book is written in this nonsensical language. It hasn’t even been proofread properly and grammatical errors are surprisingly regular. Lacks humour throughout. I wish it didn’t take itself so seriously!
The One Thing doesn’t stand up to the competition. It tells you how to improve your life, but doesn’t do nearly as well as Buddhist books like Happiness or Tiny Buddha, which are also classed as ‘self-help’. It’s so bland that it’s not quite bad enough to be cleverly satirical (like Fight Club); and it lacks the depth of science and history that Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers brought to the table in 2008.
As far as “how to improve your life” goes, it’s nothing compared with Lin Yutang’s The Importance of Living, who wrote at length in beautiful language about the position and placement of objects on your desk, and how to clear your mind before working. Lin Yutang even told us at what times of day we are most productive.
The One Thing is a failed attempt at enlightenment for people in very boring lines of work. Take chapter 12 for example, which is titled “The Path to Great Questions”. After walking us through a brainstorming technique designed to formulate such “great quetsions”, the authors give us these four lame examples:
What can I do to increase sales?
What can I do to double sales?
What can I do to double sales in six months?
What can I do to increase my sales by 5 per cent this year?
WHAT? Is that all that’s on the author’s mind? So dull…
My criticisms aren’t all subjective, either. I also found this book internally-contradictory in places. There’s a whole chapter on “don’t be self-disciplined” (which is controversial purely for its own sake). Just ten pages later, the author says we should all be self-disciplined again, and spends three pages describing an experiment that suggested toddlers with more willpower would grow up to be happier, smarter, richer, healthier adults. So should we be self-disciplined or not? Confusing.
Here’s another contradiction: on page 73, he writes, underlined, “A balanced life is a myth”. We then wade through nine pages of jargon and idiosyncratic diagrams before finding the author’s proposed alternative on page 82: “Counterbalance your personal life bucket” (sic). This is another contradiction at worst, or just jargon-juggling at best. He’s certainly not giving useful advice.
I laughed when I reached page 114. Here, the “One Thing” theory collapses when the authors explain that life is full of “One Things” and then asks us to do all of them in balance. (It therefore looks like the “One Thing” theory has been disproven!)
In conclusion, The One Thing is an idiosyncratic, pointlessly antagonistic and self-contradictory book written for people with no time (or for search engines!). It has tiny chapters, is highly visual, and makes heavy use of capitals, italics and underlining. Actually, this book is so repetitive and confusing that I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that it’s been written for search engines rather than people. This might just be the world’s first “search-engine optimised” book! Such poor-quality conveyance of such poor-quality ideas only deserves to be condensed into a one-page article and posted onto LinkedIn so we can all skim past it. It should never have been made into a book.
As a metaphor, this book is like a non-dry hand wash. I walk past it, I press it and I use it just because it’s there. It feels cold and flavourless and drips off my skin rather than sinking in. Even though it has a short-lived positive impact, I will never feel any long term benefits from having picked it up.
Reading this book is like eating plain tofu straight from the fridge. It’s not unhealthy, it’s just very, very bland—and around half-way through, you’ll realise it’s so pointless and tasteless that you’ll be mocking yourself for ever having read it. Aimed at Fight Club’s protagonist. Not recommended for anyone.
November 30, 2017
Honestly, I hated to love this book. But, love it I did.
Another 250 page business book about a concept that can be summed up in 1 sentence? Yes. Another one.
About 70% into the book I made a note that, “this book just drills. It’s attacking one point in space from every possible angle. the one thing of the books is it to teach people the ONE Thing.”
Similar to Work the System, the book is short on actionable advice. Why? You don’t need it. All you need to do is figure out your One Big Thing and HAMMER ON IT.
In a world with an ever increasing number of options and distractions, the scarcity is attention and focus and the ones that will reap the rewards are the ones that acknowledge and build their lives not around novelty and breadth, but meaning and depth.
That’s the takeaway and it was well worth 130 pages of having it drilled into my head. If you sort of believe that but would like to have Gary Keller and Jay Papasan drill it into your head, read the book.
Another 250 page business book about a concept that can be summed up in 1 sentence? Yes. Another one.
About 70% into the book I made a note that, “this book just drills. It’s attacking one point in space from every possible angle. the one thing of the books is it to teach people the ONE Thing.”
Similar to Work the System, the book is short on actionable advice. Why? You don’t need it. All you need to do is figure out your One Big Thing and HAMMER ON IT.
In a world with an ever increasing number of options and distractions, the scarcity is attention and focus and the ones that will reap the rewards are the ones that acknowledge and build their lives not around novelty and breadth, but meaning and depth.
That’s the takeaway and it was well worth 130 pages of having it drilled into my head. If you sort of believe that but would like to have Gary Keller and Jay Papasan drill it into your head, read the book.
January 3, 2021
درسته که اینجور کتابا در اصل همهشون دارن یه سری اصول رو تکرار و تکرار و تکرار میکنن ولی انسان موجود فراموشکاریه و بهتره مدام اینا رو مرور کنه تا به شکل عمل و روتین که در اومدن اونوقته که بینیاز میشه از خوندن کتاب با اون موضوعات.
این کتاب هم فشرده ای بود از
Deep work
Essentialism
Focus
Atomic habit
Subtle art of not giving a fuck
Compound effect
...
که خب اینها همه کتابای خوبی هستن اما اگه قرار بشه یه کتاب سلفهلپ به کسی معرفی کنم همین د وان ثینگ رو معرفی میکنم که تمام اونا رو شامل میشه و بعد هرکسی در هر زمینهای حس کرد بیشتر احتیاج به خوندن داره میتونه بره سراغ کتابایی با موضوعات جداگانه. مثلا اونجایی که میگه تایمبلاک داشته باشین واسه کاراتون حداقل ۴ ساعت. کسی اگه بخواد در این مورد بیشتر بدونه و طولانیتر در موردش بخونه ��یره سراغ کتاب دیپ ورک...
نریتر گوگولی و خوبی هم داشت انصافا.
باعث رضایتمه که تقریبا تمام نکاتی که گفت رو تا اینجا بلد بودم آلردی و انجام هم میدم. منتها باعث شد یه کم از تعداد تسکهای روزانهم کم کنم و مهمترینها رو فقط بنویسم و این خوب و کمک کننده بود.
و فهمیدم من دیگه به این کتابا احتیاجی ندارم و مشکل اصلیم الان نبود انگیزهست اکثرا و اینکه اخیرا هیچی به هیچجام نیست!
یک دلیل بیانگیزگی خوندن ارشد در ایران بود. چنان وقت و انرژی عظیمی ازم هدر رفته و میره و به قدری کم چیز یاد گرفتم که باور نکردنیه! دارم سعی میکنم اما نگاهم به بیگ پیکچرم باشه که
Not to lose my mind!
اصلا کتابی هست که باعث انگیزه بشه؟
مثلا کتاب «مایندست» چطوریاست؟
آیا موضوع انگیزه یه مایندسته و غیروابسته به عوامل بیرونی؟
یا باید راه حل رو جای دیگه ای خارج از کتابا پیدا کنم؟
این کتاب هم فشرده ای بود از
Deep work
Essentialism
Focus
Atomic habit
Subtle art of not giving a fuck
Compound effect
...
که خب اینها همه کتابای خوبی هستن اما اگه قرار بشه یه کتاب سلفهلپ به کسی معرفی کنم همین د وان ثینگ رو معرفی میکنم که تمام اونا رو شامل میشه و بعد هرکسی در هر زمینهای حس کرد بیشتر احتیاج به خوندن داره میتونه بره سراغ کتابایی با موضوعات جداگانه. مثلا اونجایی که میگه تایمبلاک داشته باشین واسه کاراتون حداقل ۴ ساعت. کسی اگه بخواد در این مورد بیشتر بدونه و طولانیتر در موردش بخونه ��یره سراغ کتاب دیپ ورک...
نریتر گوگولی و خوبی هم داشت انصافا.
باعث رضایتمه که تقریبا تمام نکاتی که گفت رو تا اینجا بلد بودم آلردی و انجام هم میدم. منتها باعث شد یه کم از تعداد تسکهای روزانهم کم کنم و مهمترینها رو فقط بنویسم و این خوب و کمک کننده بود.
و فهمیدم من دیگه به این کتابا احتیاجی ندارم و مشکل اصلیم الان نبود انگیزهست اکثرا و اینکه اخیرا هیچی به هیچجام نیست!
یک دلیل بیانگیزگی خوندن ارشد در ایران بود. چنان وقت و انرژی عظیمی ازم هدر رفته و میره و به قدری کم چیز یاد گرفتم که باور نکردنیه! دارم سعی میکنم اما نگاهم به بیگ پیکچرم باشه که
Not to lose my mind!
اصلا کتابی هست که باعث انگیزه بشه؟
مثلا کتاب «مایندست» چطوریاست؟
آیا موضوع انگیزه یه مایندسته و غیروابسته به عوامل بیرونی؟
یا باید راه حل رو جای دیگه ای خارج از کتابا پیدا کنم؟
November 6, 2013
I recently finishing reading the book, “The ONE Thing” by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan. As part of my book group I hosted a live call with Jay Papasan and members of the group last week. This book was very insightful. I judge books in this genre based on asking myself, “How much, if at all, will this book change my daily behavior?” Based on that criteria I would have to rank this book very high as it will change my behavior.
The premise of The ONE Thing is that at any given point in time, there is only one thing that you should focus on doing. Your one thing is the thing that moves you the closest or the fastest toward your goal.
Around that theme the authors talk about the major lies that exist in the “productivity” community. These include the idea of multitasking, being disciplined, a balanced life, and others. The core of the book focuses around what the authors call the “Focusing Question,” which is, What is the One thing I can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary? The books also talks about 3 commitments to productivity, 4 Thieves of productivity and other helpful insights around time management and time blocking.
I loved this book. Its concept is obviously simple and yet very important. Its easy to apply immediately and it can product dramatic results fast. One of my favorite ideas from the book is the idea that we must time block our one thing. That means putting it on our schedule and protecting that time. If we lose some of that time (which is inevitable) from distractions or emergencies we must replace it.
Another great insight I took from the book is the idea of aligning the “right now moment” with our long term goals and plans. If my goal is to help people become greater producers then I need to ask, “What is the ONE thing I can do in the next five years to help people become greater producers?” Then ask, what is the one thing I can do this year to achieve my five year goal to help people become greater producers?” Then ask, what is the one thing I can do this month…. and then this week, and then right now; to help me achieve that goal? The questions are stacked and this of course implies that we all have a lot of ONE things but at any given time or moment we really do only have one thing.
I also love the chapter about will power. It reminded me of the sections about will power from “The Power of Habit” that I read last year and it was a good reminder about how critical it is to do the most important things when you have a full reserve of will power and to build habits out of the important things that currently require a lot of will power to accomplish.
And in case you are wondering why writing this blog post right now is my ONE thing… the answer is this. My ONE thing is to bring out the inner producer in all of us, and right now the ONE thing I can do is to share this book with the greatest number of people within my circle of influence as possible. Enjoy the book.
The premise of The ONE Thing is that at any given point in time, there is only one thing that you should focus on doing. Your one thing is the thing that moves you the closest or the fastest toward your goal.
Around that theme the authors talk about the major lies that exist in the “productivity” community. These include the idea of multitasking, being disciplined, a balanced life, and others. The core of the book focuses around what the authors call the “Focusing Question,” which is, What is the One thing I can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary? The books also talks about 3 commitments to productivity, 4 Thieves of productivity and other helpful insights around time management and time blocking.
I loved this book. Its concept is obviously simple and yet very important. Its easy to apply immediately and it can product dramatic results fast. One of my favorite ideas from the book is the idea that we must time block our one thing. That means putting it on our schedule and protecting that time. If we lose some of that time (which is inevitable) from distractions or emergencies we must replace it.
Another great insight I took from the book is the idea of aligning the “right now moment” with our long term goals and plans. If my goal is to help people become greater producers then I need to ask, “What is the ONE thing I can do in the next five years to help people become greater producers?” Then ask, what is the one thing I can do this year to achieve my five year goal to help people become greater producers?” Then ask, what is the one thing I can do this month…. and then this week, and then right now; to help me achieve that goal? The questions are stacked and this of course implies that we all have a lot of ONE things but at any given time or moment we really do only have one thing.
I also love the chapter about will power. It reminded me of the sections about will power from “The Power of Habit” that I read last year and it was a good reminder about how critical it is to do the most important things when you have a full reserve of will power and to build habits out of the important things that currently require a lot of will power to accomplish.
And in case you are wondering why writing this blog post right now is my ONE thing… the answer is this. My ONE thing is to bring out the inner producer in all of us, and right now the ONE thing I can do is to share this book with the greatest number of people within my circle of influence as possible. Enjoy the book.
June 13, 2024
"Extraordinary results demand that you set a priority and act on it."
The book is heavily based on Pareto’s Principle (the 80/20 Principle) which says that “a minority of causes, inputs, or effort usually lead to a majority of the results, outputs, or rewards.”
The authors propose that there are six lies between you and success which I found really helpful;
1. Everything matters equally.
2. Multitasking
3. A disciplined life
4. Willpower is always on will-call
5. A balanced life
6. Big is bad
How to know if this book can help you?
a. You’re doing too many things.
b.You’re too busy to do everything you want to do.
c.You’re so stretched on so many things you can’t do anything well.
d.You’re thinking about what goals to set for yourself and need some direction.
You might like to check out more similar books here.
The book is heavily based on Pareto’s Principle (the 80/20 Principle) which says that “a minority of causes, inputs, or effort usually lead to a majority of the results, outputs, or rewards.”
The authors propose that there are six lies between you and success which I found really helpful;
1. Everything matters equally.
2. Multitasking
3. A disciplined life
4. Willpower is always on will-call
5. A balanced life
6. Big is bad
How to know if this book can help you?
a. You’re doing too many things.
b.You’re too busy to do everything you want to do.
c.You’re so stretched on so many things you can’t do anything well.
d.You’re thinking about what goals to set for yourself and need some direction.
You might like to check out more similar books here.
January 27, 2015
I disliked the book, it's a meshed up version other self help books, like "How to win friends and influence people" from Dale Carnegie; "Think and grow rich" from Napoleon Hill and others alike.
It's a boring read, you get the message 20 pages into the book, and the rest of the book is repetitive.
The reason I give it 2 starts is that at least the main message is interesting, focus in accomplish one thing at a time, forget everything else. That's it, I just gave you the whole book and saved you some money.
How to Win Friends and Influence People
Think and Grow Rich
It's a boring read, you get the message 20 pages into the book, and the rest of the book is repetitive.
The reason I give it 2 starts is that at least the main message is interesting, focus in accomplish one thing at a time, forget everything else. That's it, I just gave you the whole book and saved you some money.
How to Win Friends and Influence People
Think and Grow Rich
August 27, 2020
Focusing question: What is The ONE Thing you can do such that by doing it everything becomes easier or unnecessary?
The book resonates to answer the above question in different ways so as to make you become the most productive self. It focuses on deriving the One thing among the many tasks you daily surround with and completing that task will achieve roughly 80% of the results (Pareto principle).
The introduction was off-putting but soon you'll forget about it the moment to you move to the first chapter. The book is divided into 3 chapters.
The first chapter covers the 5 lies which obstructing us to becoming successful. The lies such as multitasking, a disciplined life style, opinion on work-life balance, will power, everything matters equally and thinking Big is bad. The authors explain about these lies in detail and helps to get the right perspective on these lies.
The second chapter is the most significant one in which the book provides an actionable framework to follow to be highly productive. As I've said, this chapter teaches how to apply the focusing question to our daily life which helps in complete tasks efficiently. Provides a planner to focus on The One Thing for 4 hours (recommended in the morning) to achieve mastery on your One Thing.
The third chapter is about tuning your mindset to commitment, purpose and priorities to achieve extraordinary results.
To summarise, it's an interesting read, content is nicely written and arranged with quotations and figures, it helps us to be more productive by teaching the core principles which successful people rely on.
The book resonates to answer the above question in different ways so as to make you become the most productive self. It focuses on deriving the One thing among the many tasks you daily surround with and completing that task will achieve roughly 80% of the results (Pareto principle).
The introduction was off-putting but soon you'll forget about it the moment to you move to the first chapter. The book is divided into 3 chapters.
The first chapter covers the 5 lies which obstructing us to becoming successful. The lies such as multitasking, a disciplined life style, opinion on work-life balance, will power, everything matters equally and thinking Big is bad. The authors explain about these lies in detail and helps to get the right perspective on these lies.
The second chapter is the most significant one in which the book provides an actionable framework to follow to be highly productive. As I've said, this chapter teaches how to apply the focusing question to our daily life which helps in complete tasks efficiently. Provides a planner to focus on The One Thing for 4 hours (recommended in the morning) to achieve mastery on your One Thing.
The third chapter is about tuning your mindset to commitment, purpose and priorities to achieve extraordinary results.
To summarise, it's an interesting read, content is nicely written and arranged with quotations and figures, it helps us to be more productive by teaching the core principles which successful people rely on.
October 13, 2016
It was a really nice book, very well-written and scientifically backed
Gary Keller argues that you must always focus on one and only one thing, regarding the goal you have that by accomplishing it, next steps towards the same goal becomes easier.
I think this book has a tremendous potential to increase one's productivity and effectiveness if the given pieces of advice are applied.
I really liked the book and would definitely recommend it to those who seek success.
Gary Keller argues that you must always focus on one and only one thing, regarding the goal you have that by accomplishing it, next steps towards the same goal becomes easier.
I think this book has a tremendous potential to increase one's productivity and effectiveness if the given pieces of advice are applied.
I really liked the book and would definitely recommend it to those who seek success.
April 17, 2015
أهم معلومتين في الكتاب هما:
1- للتمكن من إنجاز أي مشروع سواء كان مهنيا أو شخصيا, يوجد دائما شيء واحد في فترة معينة من عمر المشروع يمكنك التركيز عليه بحيث إذا أُنجِز, كل شيء آخر يصبح من السهل التعامل معه. و لإنجاز هذا الشيء الوحيد يجب التخصيص له ساعات يوميا على الأقل من غير أي مقاطعة.
2 - لكي يمكن إكتساب أي عادة إيجابية أو التخلّص من عادة سلبية يلم في المعدل 66 يوما متواصلا من غير انقطاع, و لكي يرفع الشخص من مردوديته من الأفضل له أن يواضب على الأعمال المفيدة باستمرار لكي تصبح عادات, مع التأكيد على التركيز على عادة واحدة في الوقت.
الكتاب يُنصح به لكل من له مشكل في ترتيب أولوياته و التوفيق بين الحياة العملية و الشخصية.
1- للتمكن من إنجاز أي مشروع سواء كان مهنيا أو شخصيا, يوجد دائما شيء واحد في فترة معينة من عمر المشروع يمكنك التركيز عليه بحيث إذا أُنجِز, كل شيء آخر يصبح من السهل التعامل معه. و لإنجاز هذا الشيء الوحيد يجب التخصيص له ساعات يوميا على الأقل من غير أي مقاطعة.
2 - لكي يمكن إكتساب أي عادة إيجابية أو التخلّص من عادة سلبية يلم في المعدل 66 يوما متواصلا من غير انقطاع, و لكي يرفع الشخص من مردوديته من الأفضل له أن يواضب على الأعمال المفيدة باستمرار لكي تصبح عادات, مع التأكيد على التركيز على عادة واحدة في الوقت.
الكتاب يُنصح به لكل من له مشكل في ترتيب أولوياته و التوفيق بين الحياة العملية و الشخصية.
February 22, 2014
Very powerful book on the topic of productivity and setting yourself up for big goals. My favorite part of "The One Thing" was goal setting, the way Gary Keller is breaking down big goals into small chunks is just genius. This books is a must read for anyone who feels overwhelmed by too many things to do on their daily schedule.
August 16, 2017
Often, motivational books take a few key points, which could be summarized on an index card, and with varying degrees of agony stretch them to fill a book. "The One Thing" could've fallen into this trap with a significant thud, since it basically is about ... well ... one thing. In a word: Focus.
That said, let me give Gary Keller some credit for taking one simple concept, and doing a consistently good job elaborating on it and keeping his book relevant and interesting all the way through. The concept: in every area of your life, find the most important thing that you need to focus on for maximum results, in each area, and then use time-blocking and other methods to allow yourself to concentrate exclusively on your "one thing" until it's accomplished.
He augments this one concept with lots of actionable tips that are very practical, and easy to understand and implement. If you'd like to find ideas and pointers for prioritizing the things in life that matter to you the most, and getting them done, this is a book from which you will certainly benefit. The key, of course, for any of us, in reading motivational books, is to then put the ideas into action -- by actually doing the "one thing"! A worthwhile read.
That said, let me give Gary Keller some credit for taking one simple concept, and doing a consistently good job elaborating on it and keeping his book relevant and interesting all the way through. The concept: in every area of your life, find the most important thing that you need to focus on for maximum results, in each area, and then use time-blocking and other methods to allow yourself to concentrate exclusively on your "one thing" until it's accomplished.
He augments this one concept with lots of actionable tips that are very practical, and easy to understand and implement. If you'd like to find ideas and pointers for prioritizing the things in life that matter to you the most, and getting them done, this is a book from which you will certainly benefit. The key, of course, for any of us, in reading motivational books, is to then put the ideas into action -- by actually doing the "one thing"! A worthwhile read.
December 26, 2013
Loy Machedo’s Book Review – The One Thing by Gary Keller with Jay Papasan
I like thought provoking books especially those which are easy to read and light in its content. Gary Keller & Jay Papasan’s ‘The One Thing’ fits in beautifully within that framework of being engaging, interesting and substantive.
The Book starts off with a beautiful Russian Quote – If you chase two rabbits, you will not catch either one. And then the content moves on to revolve around one single theme ‘The One Thing’.
The First Part address the 6 most popular beliefs and breaks them down to ground reality as to why they are lies and misleading:
1. Everything Matters Equally
2. Multitasking is Good
3. Success Requires a Disciplined Life
4. Willpower is Always on Will-Call
5. A Balanced Life is Required
6. Big is Bad
The Second Part of the book focuses on the Truth to Productivity:
1. The Focusing Question – How asking the right questions does wonder for you
2. The Success Habit – Start with the Big Stuff & the A Priority Tasks
3. The Path of Greatness – How to use the Priority Quadrant
Part Three encapsulates how to live ones life to achieve greatness – The Sequence being Purpose, Priority, Productivity and Profits
1. Live with Purpose – Live a life of Fulfillment
2. Live by Priority – Break Down your Goals
3. Live for Productivity – Block Time for A-Tasks
4. The Three Commitments – Mastery + Purpose + Accountability
5. The Four Thieves – Inability to say No, Fear of Chaos, Poor Health Habits and Goal Supported Environment
Finally, the concluding chapter with The Journey
Who is Jay Papsan & Gary Keller?
Jay Papasan is the former editor at HarperCollins Publishers and is the Vice President of Publishing at Keller Williams.
Gary keller is the Chairman of the Board and Cofounder of Keller Williams Realty, Inc. which holds the #1 Position as the largest real estate company in the US
Moment of Truth
A entertaining and engaging book that gives you the aha-moments where you really sit down and want to reflect on the pieces of advice given to you. I liked the book very much and I would recommend it to others.
Overall Rating
8 out of 10
Loy Machedo
loymachedo dot com
whoisloymachedo dot com
I like thought provoking books especially those which are easy to read and light in its content. Gary Keller & Jay Papasan’s ‘The One Thing’ fits in beautifully within that framework of being engaging, interesting and substantive.
The Book starts off with a beautiful Russian Quote – If you chase two rabbits, you will not catch either one. And then the content moves on to revolve around one single theme ‘The One Thing’.
The First Part address the 6 most popular beliefs and breaks them down to ground reality as to why they are lies and misleading:
1. Everything Matters Equally
2. Multitasking is Good
3. Success Requires a Disciplined Life
4. Willpower is Always on Will-Call
5. A Balanced Life is Required
6. Big is Bad
The Second Part of the book focuses on the Truth to Productivity:
1. The Focusing Question – How asking the right questions does wonder for you
2. The Success Habit – Start with the Big Stuff & the A Priority Tasks
3. The Path of Greatness – How to use the Priority Quadrant
Part Three encapsulates how to live ones life to achieve greatness – The Sequence being Purpose, Priority, Productivity and Profits
1. Live with Purpose – Live a life of Fulfillment
2. Live by Priority – Break Down your Goals
3. Live for Productivity – Block Time for A-Tasks
4. The Three Commitments – Mastery + Purpose + Accountability
5. The Four Thieves – Inability to say No, Fear of Chaos, Poor Health Habits and Goal Supported Environment
Finally, the concluding chapter with The Journey
Who is Jay Papsan & Gary Keller?
Jay Papasan is the former editor at HarperCollins Publishers and is the Vice President of Publishing at Keller Williams.
Gary keller is the Chairman of the Board and Cofounder of Keller Williams Realty, Inc. which holds the #1 Position as the largest real estate company in the US
Moment of Truth
A entertaining and engaging book that gives you the aha-moments where you really sit down and want to reflect on the pieces of advice given to you. I liked the book very much and I would recommend it to others.
Overall Rating
8 out of 10
Loy Machedo
loymachedo dot com
whoisloymachedo dot com
January 25, 2015
Bad writing. Don't waste your time.
The author takes a superficial (deluded, even) take in his case studies to make his point about the "One Thing". He uses Apple, Microsoft and Google for companies that do one thing and does it very well. For anyone who knows the history of these companies knows this is simplistic or outright misleading. There is repeated use of case studies in which the author is obviously ignorant of the industry and the relevant market and technological forces at play These further compound the author's lack of credibility and makes me wonder how this book was so highly rated in the Amazon and Audible Uk stores for business books.
The author's "One Thing" is a simplistic exaggeration of focus but there are many good books on focus and getting organized. They also provide more useful advice on how to get focused rather than exhortations to just do so. Books like Superhuman by Habit also puts focus in perspective as you will need to surround your focus with an ongoing investment in the future and developing yourself as a person/enterpreneur/researcher/etc... There is no point in focus when you are just delivering a lot of something that is bad however defined unprofitable/unsustainable/etc.
The author takes a superficial (deluded, even) take in his case studies to make his point about the "One Thing". He uses Apple, Microsoft and Google for companies that do one thing and does it very well. For anyone who knows the history of these companies knows this is simplistic or outright misleading. There is repeated use of case studies in which the author is obviously ignorant of the industry and the relevant market and technological forces at play These further compound the author's lack of credibility and makes me wonder how this book was so highly rated in the Amazon and Audible Uk stores for business books.
The author's "One Thing" is a simplistic exaggeration of focus but there are many good books on focus and getting organized. They also provide more useful advice on how to get focused rather than exhortations to just do so. Books like Superhuman by Habit also puts focus in perspective as you will need to surround your focus with an ongoing investment in the future and developing yourself as a person/enterpreneur/researcher/etc... There is no point in focus when you are just delivering a lot of something that is bad however defined unprofitable/unsustainable/etc.
August 29, 2013
I find it hard on how to rate this book. I go back and forth on if I should rate it 2 or 4 stars, so I settled in the middle with 3.
It could be worth 4 stars, because it is a great anthology of what motivates us and keeps going towards our ONE thing.
It could be worth 2 stars, because it is really redundant and doesn't really show any great resources or research behind each figure.
It could be worth 4 stars, because it is a great anthology of what motivates us and keeps going towards our ONE thing.
It could be worth 2 stars, because it is really redundant and doesn't really show any great resources or research behind each figure.
August 2, 2016
کتابی با موضوع تغییر سبک زندگی و حرکت به سمت موفقیت. کتاب خیلی خوبی بود. کتاب عوامل تاثیرگذار بر روی موفقیت و همچنین موانع موفقیت معرفی می کنه و برای رد شدن از این موانع راه حل هایی رو ارائه می کنه. کتاب نکته های خیلی خوبی برای قدم گذاشتن در مسیر موفقیت معرفی می کنه. نکته های ظریفی که خیلی از ما به راحتی و هر روز از کنار اونها رد میشیم. متن خیلی خوب آدم به فکر فرو می بره. باعث میشه به خیلی از کارها و عادت هایی که داریم فکر کنیم.
در جایی از کتاب نویسنده زندگی رو به دومینو تشبیه می کنه یعنی هر کاری که امروز داریم انجام میدیم باعث اتفاق افتادن کارها و اتفاقات بعدی میشه. انجام دادن یه اشتباه باعث اشتباه بعدی میشه، موفقیت فعلی باعث موفقیت بعدی میشه، دروغ، دروغ بعدی رو میاره و ... . به همین خاطر نویسنده توصیه می کنه که به کارهایی که هر روز انجام میدیم بیشتر فکر کنیم و تمام کارها رو به روزها و هفته ها و ماه ها و سالها بعد متصل کنیم.
توصیه بعدی نویسنده این بود که باید بزرگ فکر کرد و بزرگ هدفگذاری کرد اما برای رسیدن به این هدف های بزرگ باید از کارهای ساده شروع کرد. اهداف شما نیز باید بزرگ و مشخص باشند. بزرگ به این دلیل که توانایی های شما را به چالش بکشند و مشخص به این دلیل که قابل سنجش باشند.
“Only living big will let you experience true life and work potential.”
" تنها با بزرگی زندگی کردن به شما این اجازه را می دهد که زندگی حقیقی را درک کنید و به صورت بالفعل کار نمایید."
توصیه بعدی نویسنده اهمیت برنامه ریزی و برنامه ریزی داشتن بود. چند راه حل هم برای این مورد (مشکل) معرفی می کنه.
اما موضوع اصلی و اساسی که در کل کتاب بهش پرداخته میشه موضوع هدف داشتنه. تمام کتاب به این موضوع اشاره داره و برای این موضوع راه حل زیر را ارائه می کنه:
1. فهرست کردن تمام کارها (To-Do list)
2. اولویت بندی فعالیت ها به ترتیب اهمیت (success list)
3. انتخاب با اولویت ترین کار و تلاش برای رسیدن به آن (The One Thing)
“When our daily actions fulfill a bigger purpose, the most powerful and enduring happiness can happen”.
" زمانی که فعالیت های روزانه ما با یک هدف بزرگ صورت می گیرد، شادی های دنباله دار و پر قدرتی می توانند رخ دهند."
در جایی از کتاب نویسنده زندگی رو به دومینو تشبیه می کنه یعنی هر کاری که امروز داریم انجام میدیم باعث اتفاق افتادن کارها و اتفاقات بعدی میشه. انجام دادن یه اشتباه باعث اشتباه بعدی میشه، موفقیت فعلی باعث موفقیت بعدی میشه، دروغ، دروغ بعدی رو میاره و ... . به همین خاطر نویسنده توصیه می کنه که به کارهایی که هر روز انجام میدیم بیشتر فکر کنیم و تمام کارها رو به روزها و هفته ها و ماه ها و سالها بعد متصل کنیم.
توصیه بعدی نویسنده این بود که باید بزرگ فکر کرد و بزرگ هدفگذاری کرد اما برای رسیدن به این هدف های بزرگ باید از کارهای ساده شروع کرد. اهداف شما نیز باید بزرگ و مشخص باشند. بزرگ به این دلیل که توانایی های شما را به چالش بکشند و مشخص به این دلیل که قابل سنجش باشند.
“Only living big will let you experience true life and work potential.”
" تنها با بزرگی زندگی کردن به شما این اجازه را می دهد که زندگی حقیقی را درک کنید و به صورت بالفعل کار نمایید."
توصیه بعدی نویسنده اهمیت برنامه ریزی و برنامه ریزی داشتن بود. چند راه حل هم برای این مورد (مشکل) معرفی می کنه.
اما موضوع اصلی و اساسی که در کل کتاب بهش پرداخته میشه موضوع هدف داشتنه. تمام کتاب به این موضوع اشاره داره و برای این موضوع راه حل زیر را ارائه می کنه:
1. فهرست کردن تمام کارها (To-Do list)
2. اولویت بندی فعالیت ها به ترتیب اهمیت (success list)
3. انتخاب با اولویت ترین کار و تلاش برای رسیدن به آن (The One Thing)
“When our daily actions fulfill a bigger purpose, the most powerful and enduring happiness can happen”.
" زمانی که فعالیت های روزانه ما با یک هدف بزرگ صورت می گیرد، شادی های دنباله دار و پر قدرتی می توانند رخ دهند."
April 8, 2021
"Anyone who dreams of an uncommon life eventually discovers there is no choice but to seek an uncommon approach to living it." pg 73, ebook
The One Thing contains simple, ridiculously obvious advice- find your passion, make time for it and live it. But, if it's really that easy, then why aren't more of us doing it?
"Where I'd had huge success, I had narrowed my concentration to one thing, and where my success varied, my focus had too." pg 8, ebook
This book has helped me to adjust my focus so that I spend more of my time on what I love, writing. That being said, there are still chores that must be done, a family business to tend to, a child to raise and numerous other responsibilities that chip away at time that I can give to my one thing.
And, as author Gary Keller points out, this isn't a big deal. Everybody has their big ONE THING but smaller one things in other areas of their lives. You can use the same focusing principles on each to improve your life in each sphere.
What's the one thing you can do to improve your family life? Health? Diet? etc., etc.
This book also taught me that a majority of my output comes from a very small percentage of my actions, something that I had never considered before. Like I said, obvious in hindsight now that I know it, but it wasn't something I instinctively knew.
"Happiness happens on the way to fulfillment." pg 98, ebook
I read tons of non-fiction and self help titles. Have they all improved my life? No. Do I always learn something from them? Generally.
For me, the fun is in the search.
Read The One Thing if you want to learn some methods to narrow your focus and advance what is most important to you in your life. If you already know how to do that, this isn't the title for you.
The One Thing contains simple, ridiculously obvious advice- find your passion, make time for it and live it. But, if it's really that easy, then why aren't more of us doing it?
"Where I'd had huge success, I had narrowed my concentration to one thing, and where my success varied, my focus had too." pg 8, ebook
This book has helped me to adjust my focus so that I spend more of my time on what I love, writing. That being said, there are still chores that must be done, a family business to tend to, a child to raise and numerous other responsibilities that chip away at time that I can give to my one thing.
And, as author Gary Keller points out, this isn't a big deal. Everybody has their big ONE THING but smaller one things in other areas of their lives. You can use the same focusing principles on each to improve your life in each sphere.
What's the one thing you can do to improve your family life? Health? Diet? etc., etc.
This book also taught me that a majority of my output comes from a very small percentage of my actions, something that I had never considered before. Like I said, obvious in hindsight now that I know it, but it wasn't something I instinctively knew.
"Happiness happens on the way to fulfillment." pg 98, ebook
I read tons of non-fiction and self help titles. Have they all improved my life? No. Do I always learn something from them? Generally.
For me, the fun is in the search.
Read The One Thing if you want to learn some methods to narrow your focus and advance what is most important to you in your life. If you already know how to do that, this isn't the title for you.
July 17, 2016
This book was amazing!
Though it's language is the language of cheap self-help books, but the content is of best qualities. Those who know me, know how skeptical I am. But this book satisfied my skepticism. The author has done his research. And has done it well. He used major psychology studies and used them just right. His conclusion of these studies has been perfectly right. Even better than some psychology professors at major universities!
He offers really great minimalistic tools and methods for practicing the lessons of the book. My major concern was that he may fall on the extreme of over-specialization and 1 dimensional living. But as I progressed through the book, he delicately covered other dimensions of life.
I would recommend this book strongly. But please be sure to read it thoroughly and completely. Mis-understanding his methods may cause harm.
Though it's language is the language of cheap self-help books, but the content is of best qualities. Those who know me, know how skeptical I am. But this book satisfied my skepticism. The author has done his research. And has done it well. He used major psychology studies and used them just right. His conclusion of these studies has been perfectly right. Even better than some psychology professors at major universities!
He offers really great minimalistic tools and methods for practicing the lessons of the book. My major concern was that he may fall on the extreme of over-specialization and 1 dimensional living. But as I progressed through the book, he delicately covered other dimensions of life.
I would recommend this book strongly. But please be sure to read it thoroughly and completely. Mis-understanding his methods may cause harm.
December 20, 2015
You know those rare and special times when you pick up a book that changes your life?
This is one of those books. What a fantastic book! I wish I had this book entering University or my first job.
I highly recommend it to everyone. I'd give it more stars if I could. 10/5 stars!
This is one of those books. What a fantastic book! I wish I had this book entering University or my first job.
I highly recommend it to everyone. I'd give it more stars if I could. 10/5 stars!
April 30, 2019
The key message is work hard by focusing on one thing. That one thing should inspire and get you out of bed in the morning. As self help books go it was not bad with some insightful strategies and examples.
April 29, 2018
A great book on time management and productivity. The main purpose of the book is to tell that people can not effectively perform several things at the same time. By nature, people are not multitasking. They can only quickly switch from one task to another, while consuming a lot of time and effort to refocus. Although outwardly it looks like multitasking, it's just a false idea. If you want to achieve really high results, focus only on one task, in the most important case, spending 20% of your energy to achieve 80% of the results. Also, set yourself up really high tasks that will be complex and learn to say "NO" to tasks that do not fit your "the one thing." The book has a lot of interesting quotations, stories and examples. After reading the book, I made over 40 underlined markers. This book will be a vivid example in your home library.
----------------------
Чудова книга по тайм менеджменту та продуктивності. Українською книга опублікована під назвою "Одна справа". Основна мета книги - це розповісти, що людина не може ефективно виконувати одночасно декілька справ. По своїй природі люди не мультизадачні. Вони можуть лише швидко перемикатись з однії задачі на іншу, при цьому витрачаючи багато часу та сил на перефокусування. Хоча зовні можливо воно виглядає, як мультизадачність, але це лише хибне уявлення. Якщо хочете досягати справді високих результатів фокусуйтесь лише на одній, на найважливішій справі, витрачаючи 20% своєї енергії на досягнення 80% результатів. Також ставте собі дійсно високі задачі, які будуть складними та вчіться казати "НІ" тим задачам, що не відповідають вашій "одній справі". В книзі дуже багато цікавих цитат, історій та прикладів. Після прочитання книги я зробив більше 40 підкреслень фломастером. Ця книга буде яскравим примірником у вашій домашній бібліотеці.
----------------------
Чудова книга по тайм менеджменту та продуктивності. Українською книга опублікована під назвою "Одна справа". Основна мета книги - це розповісти, що людина не може ефективно виконувати одночасно декілька справ. По своїй природі люди не мультизадачні. Вони можуть лише швидко перемикатись з однії задачі на іншу, при цьому витрачаючи багато часу та сил на перефокусування. Хоча зовні можливо воно виглядає, як мультизадачність, але це лише хибне уявлення. Якщо хочете досягати справді високих результатів фокусуйтесь лише на одній, на найважливішій справі, витрачаючи 20% своєї енергії на досягнення 80% результатів. Також ставте собі дійсно високі задачі, які будуть складними та вчіться казати "НІ" тим задачам, що не відповідають вашій "одній справі". В книзі дуже багато цікавих цитат, історій та прикладів. Після прочитання книги я зробив більше 40 підкреслень фломастером. Ця книга буде яскравим примірником у вашій домашній бібліотеці.
September 5, 2020
I didn’t really find anything new or enlightening in this book. It restates information from other books, so if you’re widely read, you’ll not likely find it very interesting either.
Every time I started reading my hard copy, I’d become frustrated at the lack of new info. At about one third through, I ended up listening to the rest on Audible, so I could listen at 1.5 or 2x speed, just to get through it quickly and move on. It was kind of a drag.
It isn’t necessarily a bad book but perhaps better suited to someone young or not so widely read. The author is energetic and successful, having started Keller Williams Realty, which I believe is now national across the US.
Every time I started reading my hard copy, I’d become frustrated at the lack of new info. At about one third through, I ended up listening to the rest on Audible, so I could listen at 1.5 or 2x speed, just to get through it quickly and move on. It was kind of a drag.
It isn’t necessarily a bad book but perhaps better suited to someone young or not so widely read. The author is energetic and successful, having started Keller Williams Realty, which I believe is now national across the US.
May 2, 2014
Quite often the writer repeats others and doesn't own up to it. His repetition of the books title quickly grows annoying and I feel a lack of 'density' throughout the book. Even though the writing is rather boring and he presents nothing new, the book inspired me think about priorities and choices in my own life. This made me award an extra star.
November 24, 2023
یکی از بهترین کتاب هایی که خوندم.👌🏼
February 3, 2019
I'm not a reader of self-help books. I came across a recommendation by a columnist in a business magazine, so I thought I'll give it a go.
I liked the book. It brought together many well-known ideas: 80/20 principle, the marshmallow test (which has recently been debunked), the stretching of willpower (which I know very well from Dan Ariely), the importance of sleep and physical health in general, the huge drawbacks of multitasking and the power of focus, etc.
I give this book 4 stars instead of 5 because some parts around mid-way through it seemed like page fillers - such as a lengthy retelling of "The Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens.
I like the no-nonsense approach of this book, and the power of the one idea it suggests (the importance of focusing on the ONE Thing if you want to achieve extraordinary results), together with a helpful discussion of the main do's and don'ts while implementing it.
A couple of quotes (I highlighted much more on my Kindle as I read it):
You need to be doing fewer things for more effect instead of doing more things with side effects.
Don't focus on being busy; focus on being productive. Allow what matters most to drive your day.
Multitasking is neither efficient nor effective. In the world of results, it will fail you every time.
Seen as something we ultimately attain, balance is actually something we constantly do.
Your work life is divided into two distinct areas - what matters most and everything else. You will have to take what matters to the extremes and be okay with what happens to the rest. Professional success requires it.
Time blocking is a very results-oriented way of viewing and using time. It's a way of making sure that what has to be done gets done.
Take time off. Block out long weekends and long vacations, then take them. You'll be more rested, more relaxed, and more productive afterward.
Be a maker in the morning and a manager in the afternoon.
The way to protect what you've said yes to and stay productive is to say no to anyone or anything that could derail you.
When you say yes to something, it's imperative that you understand what you're saying no to.
Anyone you know who gets little sleep and appears to be doing great is either a freak of nature or hiding its effects from you. Either way, they aren't your role model.
I liked the book. It brought together many well-known ideas: 80/20 principle, the marshmallow test (which has recently been debunked), the stretching of willpower (which I know very well from Dan Ariely), the importance of sleep and physical health in general, the huge drawbacks of multitasking and the power of focus, etc.
I give this book 4 stars instead of 5 because some parts around mid-way through it seemed like page fillers - such as a lengthy retelling of "The Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens.
I like the no-nonsense approach of this book, and the power of the one idea it suggests (the importance of focusing on the ONE Thing if you want to achieve extraordinary results), together with a helpful discussion of the main do's and don'ts while implementing it.
A couple of quotes (I highlighted much more on my Kindle as I read it):
You need to be doing fewer things for more effect instead of doing more things with side effects.
Don't focus on being busy; focus on being productive. Allow what matters most to drive your day.
Multitasking is neither efficient nor effective. In the world of results, it will fail you every time.
Seen as something we ultimately attain, balance is actually something we constantly do.
Your work life is divided into two distinct areas - what matters most and everything else. You will have to take what matters to the extremes and be okay with what happens to the rest. Professional success requires it.
Time blocking is a very results-oriented way of viewing and using time. It's a way of making sure that what has to be done gets done.
Take time off. Block out long weekends and long vacations, then take them. You'll be more rested, more relaxed, and more productive afterward.
Be a maker in the morning and a manager in the afternoon.
The way to protect what you've said yes to and stay productive is to say no to anyone or anything that could derail you.
When you say yes to something, it's imperative that you understand what you're saying no to.
Anyone you know who gets little sleep and appears to be doing great is either a freak of nature or hiding its effects from you. Either way, they aren't your role model.
August 9, 2017
This book was life changing. The message is to do as little as possible and achieve as much as possible. That doesn't mean be lazy. It means figure out the most powerful things you can do. Things that will make everything else easier or unnecessary. It's like a domino effect. You push the first small domino, and it starts a chain reaction with huge results. I can't even begin to describe this book because there are so many important stories and details that you just have to read to appreciate. You need to experience of reading this brilliant book before you can "get it". It focuses on different areas of life and how you can only do one thing at a time. Common myths are dispelled and tools given to help you choose and focus on your one thing I'm all areas of life. Then, the author explains how to balance all the areas of life. Which things you can touch occasionally or consistently or infrequently. Which things take a little work and which take all your focus for long periods of time. It's not about balance. There is no such thing. It's about accepting the chaos that comes with greatness and learning how to manage everything by focusing on one thing that will actually do the work for you. I am bringing up details of this book daily since I finished reading it a couple weeks ago. It's really changed my perspective and helped me realize that I can do more and harder things. And my priorities and schedule don't need to look like any one else's. If at first you are reading the book and think it sounds too "one size fits all" or like it won't work for you, keep reading. You have to understand the big picture and the basic idea before getting into the application, where the author explains how you can make this work in your life, no matter what that may look like for you. His suggested 4 hour blocks of work time will not work for me as a mother of kids under 5. But I have so many new ideas and skills thanks to this book. I feel like I have found peace with my spiritual, academic, professional, personal, and family life. And I feel like I can thrive in all those areas without losing out on the others. I have and will continue to recommend this book to anyone and everyone!
February 10, 2017
تأخرت في إنهاءه لأنه يتحدث عن أهمية التركيز على الشيء الوحيد وشيئي الوحيد لم يكن القراءة
بأحد المواضيع تكلم عن سلوكيات الناجحين وسهولة تنفيذها لأنها أصبحت عادات ومن المجهد تركهم لها، ولإكتساب العادات نحتاج العمل عليها لمدة ٦٦ يوم تقريبًا بدلا من ٢١ كما هو مشهور، وهذا الفصل حفزني على بدء ٦٦ يوم مختلفة بحياتي اليوم اكملت
١٨ يوم (أخفقت ببعض الالتزامات وأهمها شيئي الوحيد لكني سعيدة بإنجاز القليل منها مثل استبدال تويتر بموقع رواق التعليمي، والحرص على تناول الفاكهة صباحًا،…)
أتمنى أعيد قراءته مع آخرين مستعدين لتطبيق قواعده
بأحد المواضيع تكلم عن سلوكيات الناجحين وسهولة تنفيذها لأنها أصبحت عادات ومن المجهد تركهم لها، ولإكتساب العادات نحتاج العمل عليها لمدة ٦٦ يوم تقريبًا بدلا من ٢١ كما هو مشهور، وهذا الفصل حفزني على بدء ٦٦ يوم مختلفة بحياتي اليوم اكملت
١٨ يوم (أخفقت ببعض الالتزامات وأهمها شيئي الوحيد لكني سعيدة بإنجاز القليل منها مثل استبدال تويتر بموقع رواق التعليمي، والحرص على تناول الفاكهة صباحًا،…)
أتمنى أعيد قراءته مع آخرين مستعدين لتطبيق قواعده
Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,987 reviews