The One Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 1

“Be like a postage stamp— stick to one thing until you get there.” —Josh Billings 46

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 2

“What’s the ONE Thing you can do this week such that by doing it everything else would be easier or unnecessary?” 82

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 3

Where I’d had huge success, I had narrowed my concentration to one thing, and where my success varied, my focus had too. 84

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 4

they make getting to the heart of things the heart of their approach. They go small. 88

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 5

“Going small” is ignoring all the things you could do and doing what you should do. It’s recognizing that not all things matter equally and finding the things that matter most. 90

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 6

extraordinary results are directly determined by how narrow you can make your focus. 92

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 7

In Leeuwarden, The Netherlands, on Domino Day, November 13, 2009, Weijers Domino Productions coordinated the world record domino fall by lining up more than 4,491,863 dominoes in a dazzling display In this instance, a single domino set in motion a domino fall that cumulatively unleashed more than 94,000 joules of energy, which is as much energy as it takes for an average-sized male to do 545 pushups. 108

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 8

In 1983, Lorne Whitehead wrote in the American Journal of Physics that he’d discovered that domino falls could not only topple many things, they could also topple bigger things. He described how a single domino is capable of bringing down another domino that is actually 50 percent larger. 114

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 9

a single domino is capable of bringing down another domino that is actually 50 percent larger. 115

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 10

In 2001 a physicist from San Francisco’s Exploratorium reproduced Whitehead’s experiment by creating eight dominoes out of plywood, each of which was 50 percent larger than the one before. The first was a mere two inches, the last almost three feet tall. The resulting domino fall began with a gentle tick and quickly ended “with a loud SLAM.” 121

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 11

The 10th domino would be almost as tall as NFL quarterback Peyton Manning. By the 18th, you’re looking at a domino that would rival the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The 23rd domino would tower over the Eiffel Tower and the 31st domino would loom over Mount Everest by almost 3,000 feet. Number 57 would practically bridge the distance between the earth and the moon! 125

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 12

successful people know this. So every day they line up their priorities anew, find the lead domino, and whack away at it until it falls. 132

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 13

extraordinary success is sequential, not simultaneous. 134

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 14

The key is over time. Success is built sequentially. It’s one thing at a time. 140

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 15

“It is those who concentrate on but one thing at a time who advance in this world.” — Og Mandino 143

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 16

“There can only be one most important thing. Many things may be important, but only one can be the most important.” —Ross Garber 162

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 17

No one is self-made. 174

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 18

No one succeeds alone. No one. 185

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 19

the line between passion and skill can be blurry. That’s because they’re almost always connected. 192

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 20

This is the story line for extraordinary success stories. Passion for something leads to disproportionate time practicing or working at it. That time spent eventually translates to skill, and when skill improves, results improve. Better results generally lead to more enjoyment, and more passion and more time is invested. 195

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 21

Passion for something leads to disproportionate time practicing or working at it. That time spent eventually translates to skill, and when skill improves, results improve. Better results generally lead to more enjoyment, and more passion and more time is invested. 195

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 22

“It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.” —Mark Twain 245

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 23

“truthiness,” a word comedian Stephen Colbert coined as “truth that comes from the gut, not books” on the debut episode of his Comedy Central show, The Colbert Report. 254

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 24

The problem is we tend to act on what we believe even when what we believe isn’t anything we should. 258

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 25

(“Toss a frog into a pot of hot water and it will jump right back out. But if you place a frog in lukewarm water and slowly raise the temperature, it will boil to death.”) It’s a lie—a very truthy lie, but a lie nonetheless. 263

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 26

Ever hear about how the explorer Cortez burned his ships on arriving at the Americas to motivate his men? Not true. Another lie. 266

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 27

Over time, myths and mistruths get thrown around so often they eventually feel familiar and start to sound like the truth. Then we start basing important decisions on them. 268

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 28

THE SIX LIES BETWEEN YOU AND SUCCESS Everything Matters Equally Multitasking A Disciplined Life Willpower Is Always on Will-Call A Balanced Life Big Is Bad 275

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 29

“Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.” —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 282

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 30

When everything feels urgent and important, everything seems equal. We become active and busy, but this doesn’t actually move us any closer to success. 299

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 31

“The things which are most important don’t always scream the loudest.” —Bob Hawke 301

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 32

Henry David Thoreau said, “It’s not enough to be busy, so are the ants. The question is, what are we busy about?” 303

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 33

Not everything matters equally, and success isn’t a game won by whoever does the most. Yet that is exactly how most play it on a daily basis. 305

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 34

Most inboxes overflow with unimportant e-mails masquerading as priorities. 313

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 35

Achievers operate differently. They have an eye for the essential. They pause just long enough to decide what matters and then allow what matters to drive their day. 315

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 36

Achievers always work from a clear sense of priority. 318

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 37

Richard Koch, in his book The 80/20 Principle, defined it about as well as anyone: “The 80/20 Principle asserts that a minority of causes, inputs, or effort usually lead to a majority of the results, outputs, or rewards.” 347

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 38

“The 80/20 Principle asserts that a minority of causes, inputs, or effort usually lead to a majority of the results, outputs, or rewards.” 347

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 39

the majority of what you want will come from the minority of what you do. Extraordinary results are disproportionately created by fewer actions than most realize. 353

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 40

Juran’s great insight was that not everything matters equally; some things matter more than others—a lot more. A to-do list becomes a success list when you apply Pareto’s Principle to it. 357

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 41

Keep going. You can actually take 20 percent of the 20 percent of the 20 percent and continue until you get to the single most important thing! 373

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 42

Eric said that if I could do only one thing, then I should practice my scales. 385

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 43

The inequality of effort for results is everywhere in your life if you will simply look for it. 388

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 44

Go small. Don’t focus on being busy; focus on being productive. Allow what matters most to drive your day.

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 45

Go extreme. Once you’ve figured out what actually matters, keep asking what matters most until there is only one thing left. That core activity goes at the top of your success list.

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 46

Say no. Whether you say “later” or “never,” the point is to say “not now” to anything else you could do until your most important work is done.

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 47

Don’t get trapped in the “check off” game. If we believe things don’t matter equally, we must act accordingly. We can’t fall prey to the notion that everything has to be done, that checking things off our list is what success is all about. 393

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 48

Say no. Whether you say “later” or “never,” the point is to say “not now” to anything else you could do until your most important work is done. 396

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 49

doing the most important thing is always the most important thing. 402

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 50

“To do two things at once is to do neither.” —Publilius Syrus 404

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 51

Nass, “Multitaskers were just lousy at everything.” Multitasking is a lie. 413

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 52

“Multitasking is merely the opportunity to screw up more than one thing at a time.” —Steve Uzzell 420

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 53

Steve Uzzell said, “Multitasking is merely the opportunity to screw up more than one thing at a time.” 424

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 54

the term “multitasking” didn’t arrive on the scene until the 1960s. It was used to describe computers, not people. 426

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 55

Multitasking is about multiple tasks alternately sharing one resource (the CPU), but in time the context was flipped and it became interpreted to mean multiple tasks being done simultaneously by one resource (a person). 429

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 56

they switch back and forth, alternating their attention until both tasks are done. The speed with which computers tackle multiple tasks feeds the illusion that everything happens at the same time, so comparing computers to humans can be confusing. 432

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 57

what we can’t do is focus on two things at once. Our attention bounces back and forth. 434

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 58

It’s not that we have too little time to do all the things we need to do, it’s that we feel the need to do too many things in the time we have. 440

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 59

Researchers estimate that workers are interrupted every 11 minutes and then spend almost a third of their day recovering from these distractions. 447

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 60

an average of 4,000 thoughts a day flying in and out of our heads, 453

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 61

But juggling isn’t multitasking. Juggling is an illusion. To the casual observer, a juggler is juggling three balls at once. In reality, the balls are being independently caught and thrown in rapid succession. 459

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 62

juggling isn’t multitasking. Juggling is an illusion. To the casual observer, a juggler is juggling three balls at once. In reality, the balls are being independently caught and thrown in rapid succession. 459

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 63

“task switching.” When you switch from one task to another, voluntarily or not, two things happen. The first is nearly instantaneous: you decide to switch. The second is less predictable: you have to activate the “rules” for whatever you’re about to do 462

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 64

researcher Dr. David Meyer. “It can range from time increases of 25 percent or less for simple tasks to well over 100 percent or more for very complicated tasks.” Task switching exacts a cost few realize they’re even paying. 468

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 65

Our brain has channels, and as a result we’re able to process different kinds of data in different parts of our brain. This is why you can talk and walk at the same time. There is no channel interference. But here’s the catch: you’re not really focused on both activities. One is happening in the foreground and the other in the background. 474

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 66

You can do two things at once, but you can’t focus effectively on two things at once. 477

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 67

Many think that because their body is functioning without their conscious direction, they’re multitasking. This is true, but not the way they mean it. A lot of our physical actions, like breathing, are being directed from a different part of our brain than where focus comes from. As a result, there’s no channel conflict. 479

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 68

where focus occurs—in the prefrontal cortex. When you focus, it’s like shining a spotlight on what matters. You can actually give attention to two things, but that is what’s called “divided attention.” And make no mistake. Take on two things and your attention gets divided. Take on a third and something gets dropped. 483

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 69

You simply can’t effectively focus on two important things at the same time. 488

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 70

There is just so much brain capability at any one time. Divide it up as much as you want, but you’ll pay a price in time and effectiveness. The more time you spend switched to another task, the less likely you are to get back to your original task. This is how loose ends pile up. Bounce between one activity and another and you lose time as your brain reorients to the new task. Those milliseconds add up.

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 71

Researchers estimate we lose 28 percent of an average workday to multitasking ineffectiveness.

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 72

Chronic multitaskers develop a distorted sense of how long it takes to do things. They almost always believe tasks take longer to complete than is actually required. Multitaskers make more mistakes than non-multitaskers. They often make poorer decisions because they favor new information over old, even if the older information is more valuable. Multitaskers experience more life-reducing, happiness-squelching stress. 491

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 73

Media multitaskers actually experience a thrill with switching—a burst of dopamine—that can be addictive. 501

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 74

Why would we ever tolerate multitasking when we’re doing our most important work? 513

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 75

Author Dave Crenshaw put it just right when he wrote, “The people we live with and work with on a daily basis deserve our full attention. When we give people segmented attention, piecemeal time, switching back and forth, the switching cost is higher than just the time involved. We end up damaging relationships.” 520

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 76

Distraction is natural. 525

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 77

Multitasking takes a toll. 526

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 78

Distraction undermines results. 527

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 79

Figure out what matters most in the moment and give it your undivided attention. 528

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 80

Success is actually a short race—a sprint fueled by discipline just long enough for habit to kick in and take over. 539

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 81

When you discipline yourself, you’re essentially training yourself to act in a specific way. Stay with this long enough and it becomes routine—in other words, a habit. 544

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 82

when you see people who look like “disciplined” people, what you’re really seeing is people who’ve trained a handful of habits into their lives. 545

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 83

success is about doing the right thing, not about doing everything right. The trick to success is to choose the right habit and bring just enough discipline to establish it. 551

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 84

The trick to success is to choose the right habit and bring just enough discipline to establish it. 551

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 85

Phelps channeled all of his energy into one discipline that developed into one habit—swimming daily. 569

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 86

aiming discipline at the right habit gives you license to be less disciplined in other areas. When you do the right thing, it can liberate you from having to monitor everything. 572

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 87

habits are hard only in the beginning. Over time, the habit you’re after becomes easier and easier to sustain. It’s true. Habits require much less energy and effort to maintain than to begin 578

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 88

Over time, the habit you’re after becomes easier and easier to sustain. It’s true. Habits require much less energy and effort to maintain than to begin 578

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 89

Researchers at the University College of London have the answer. In 2009, they asked the question: How long does it take to establish a new habit? They were looking for the moment when a new behavior becomes automatic or ingrained. 584

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 90

The results suggest that it takes an average of 66 days to acquire a new habit. The full range was 18 to 254 days, but the 66 days represented a sweet spot—with 587

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 91

it takes an average of 66 days to acquire a new habit. The full range was 18 to 254 days, but the 66 days represented a sweet spot—with easier behaviors taking fewer days on average and tough ones taking longer. 587

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 92

It’s why those with the right habits seem to do better than others. They’re doing the most important thing regularly and, as a result, everything else is easier. 594

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 93

Don’t be a disciplined person. Be a person of powerful habits and use selected discipline to develop them. Build one habit at a time. 597

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 94

Build one habit at a time. 599

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 95

Give each habit enough time. Stick with the discipline long enough for it to become routine. Habits, on average, take 66 days to form. Once a habit is solidly established, you can either build on that habit or, if appropriate, build another one. 601

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 96

Construe willpower as just a call for character and you miss its other equally essential element: timing. It’s a critical piece. 616

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 97

I quickly discovered something discouraging: I didn’t always have willpower. 621

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 98

humbling conclusion: willpower isn’t on will-call. 625

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 99

Willpower is always on will-call is a lie. 628

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 100

Left alone with a marshmallow they couldn’t eat, kids engaged in all kinds of delay strategies, from closing their eyes, pulling their own hair, and turning away, to hovering over, smelling, and even caressing their treats. On average, kids held out less than three minutes. And only three out of ten managed to delay their gratification until the researcher returned. It was pretty apparent most kids struggled with delayed gratification. 637

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 101

On average, kids held out less than three minutes. And only three out of ten managed to delay their gratification until the researcher returned. 639

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 102

or the ability to delay gratification was a huge indicator of future success. 646

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 103

Willpower has a limited battery life 656

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 104

Everyone accepts that limited resources must be managed, yet we fail to recognize that willpower is one of them. 660

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 105

Stanford University professor Baba Shiv’s research shows just how fleeting our willpower can be. He divided 165 undergraduate students into two groups and asked them to memorize either a two-digit or a seven-digit number. 662

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 106

students asked to memorize the seven-digit number were nearly twice as likely to choose cake. This tiny extra cognitive load was just enough to prevent a prudent choice. The implications are staggering. The more we use our mind, the less minding power we have. 667

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 107

The more we use our mind, the less minding power we have. Willpower is like a fast-twitch muscle that gets tired and needs rest. It’s incredibly powerful, but it has no endurance. 668

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 108

Willpower is like a fast-twitch muscle that gets tired and needs rest. 669

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 109

The brain makes up l/50th of our body mass but consumes a staggering 1/5th of the calories we burn for energy. If your brain were a car, in terms of gas mileage, it’d be a Hummer. 674

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 110

The most recent parts of our brain to develop are the first to suffer if there is a shortage of resources. Older, more developed areas of the brain, such as those that regulate breathing and our nervous responses, get first helpings from our blood stream and are virtually unaffected if we decide to skip a meal. The prefrontal cortex, on the other hand, feels the impact. 678

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 111

the impact of nutrition and willpower. 683

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 112

Participants who exercised willpower showed a marked drop in the levels of glucose in the bloodstream. Subsequent studies showed the impact on performance when two groups completed one willpower-related task and then did another. 684

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 113

The studies concluded that willpower is a mental muscle that doesn’t bounce back quickly. If you employ it for one task, there will be less power available for the next unless you refuel. 687

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 114

willpower is a mental muscle that doesn’t bounce back quickly. If you employ it for one task, there will be less power available for the next unless you refuel. 688

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 115

Foods that elevate blood sugar evenly over long periods, like complex carbohydrates and proteins, become the fuel of choice for high-achievers—literal proof that “you are what you eat.” 690

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 116

when our willpower is low we tend to fall back on our default settings. 692

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 117

When our willpower runs out, we all revert to our default settings. 704

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 118

We lose our willpower not because we think about it but because we don’t. Without appreciating that it can come and go, we let it do exactly that. 710

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 119

You make doing what matters most a priority when your willpower is its highest. 717

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 120

make doing what matters most a priority when your willpower is its highest. 717

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 121

if you want to get the most out of your day, do your most important work—your ONE Thing—early, before your willpower is drawn down. 729

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 122

Don’t spread your willpower too thin. On any given day, you have a limited supply of willpower, so decide what matters and reserve your willpower for it. Monitor your fuel gauge. Full-strength willpower requires a full tank. Never let what matters most be compromised simply because your brain was under-fueled. Eat right and regularly. Time your task. Do what matters most first each day when your willpower is strongest. Maximum strength willpower means maximum success. 732

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 123

A balanced life is a lie. 747

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 124

the term “work-life balance” wasn’t coined until the mid-1980s when more than half of all married women joined the workforce. 766

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 125

we went from a family unit with a breadwinner and a homemaker to one with two breadwinners and no homemaker. Anyone with a pulse knows who got stuck with the extra work in the beginning. 768

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 126

The problem with living in the middle is that it prevents you from making extraordinary time commitments to anything. In your effort to attend to all things, everything gets shortchanged and nothing gets its due. 780

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 127

Knowing when to pursue the middle and when to pursue the extremes is in essence the true beginning of wisdom. Extraordinary results are achieved by this negotiation with your time. 782

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 128

The reason we shouldn’t pursue balance is that the magic never happens in the middle; magic happens at the extremes. 786

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 129

magic never happens in the middle; magic happens at the extremes. The dilemma is that chasing the extremes presents real challenges. We naturally understand that success lies at the outer edges, but we don’t know how to manage our lives while we’re out there. 786

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 130

When you gamble with your time, you may be placing a bet you can’t cover. 814

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 131

Counterbalancing done well gives the illusion of balance. 821

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 132

when you focus on what is truly important, something will always be underserved. 824

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 133

An 11-year study of nearly 7,100 British civil servants concluded that habitual long hours can be deadly. Researchers showed that individuals who worked more than 11 hours a day (a 55-plus hour workweek) were 67 percent more likely to suffer from heart disease. 830

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 134

Researchers showed that individuals who worked more than 11 hours a day (a 55-plus hour workweek) were 67 percent more likely to suffer from heart disease. 830

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 135

it’s not about how much overtime you put in; the key ingredient is focused time over time. To achieve an extraordinary result you must choose what matters most and give it all the time it demands. This requires getting extremely out of balance in relation to all other work issues, 835

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 136

To achieve an extraordinary result you must choose what matters most and give it all the time it demands. This requires getting extremely out of balance in relation to all other work issues, 836

Answer 136

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 137

The question is: “Do you go short or long?” In your personal life, go short and avoid long periods where you’re out of balance. Going short lets you stay connected to all the things that matter most and move them along together. In your professional life, go long and make peace with the idea that the pursuit of extraordinary results may require you to be out of balance for long periods. 842

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 138

The question of balance is really a question of priority. 851

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 139

When you act on your priority, you’ll automatically go out of balance, giving more time to one thing over another. 853

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 140

The challenge becomes how long you stay on your priority. To be able to address your priorities outside of work, be clear about your most important work priority so you can get it done. Then go home and be clear about your priorities there so you can get back to work. When you’re supposed to be working, work, and when you’re supposed to be playing, play. 855

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 141

When you’re supposed to be working, work, and when you’re supposed to be playing, play. 857

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 142

Think about two balancing buckets. 860

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 143

Counterbalance your work bucket. 862

Answer 143

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Question 144

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. 864

Answer 144

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Question 145

Counterbalance your personal life bucket. 866

Answer 145

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Question 146

“We are kept from our goal, not by obstacles but by a clear path to a lesser goal.” —Robert Brault 872

Answer 146

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Question 147

When big is believed to be bad, small thinking rules the day and big never sees the light of it. 889

Answer 147

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Question 148

Historically, we’ve done a remarkably poor job of estimating our limits. 892

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Question 149

“What set Sabeer apart from the hundreds of entrepreneurs I’ve met is the gargantuan size of his dream. Even before he had a product, before he had any money behind him, he was completely convinced 908

Answer 149

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Question 150

only actions that become springboards to succeeding big are those informed by big thinking to begin with. 914

Answer 150

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Question 151

Everyone has the same amount of time, and hard work is simply hard work. As a result, what you do in the time you work determines what you achieve. 918

Answer 151

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Question 152

the combination of what, how, and who that gets you to one level of success won’t naturally evolve to a better combination that leads to the next level of success. 921

Answer 152

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Question 153

What you build today will either empower or restrict you tomorrow. It will either serve as a platform for the next level of your success or as a box, trapping you where you are. 929

Answer 153

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Question 154

As you experience big, you become big. 951

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Question 155

Stanford psychologist Carol S. Dweck has studied the science of how our self-conceptions influence our actions. 953

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Question 156

Dweck’s work with children revealed two mindsets in action—a “growth” mindset that generally thinks big and seeks growth and a “fixed” mindset that places artificial limits and avoids failure. Growth-minded students, as she calls them, employ better learning strategies, experience less helplessness, exhibit more positive effort, and achieve more in the classroom than their fixed-minded peers. They are less likely to place limits on their lives and more likely to reach for their potential. Dweck points out that mindsets can and do change. Like any other habit, you set your mind to it until the right mindset becomes routine. 954

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Question 157

Dweck points out that mindsets can and do change. Like any other habit, you set your mind to it until the right mindset becomes routine. 958

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Question 158

Act bold. Big thoughts go nowhere without bold action. 980

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Question 159

“Be careful how you interpret the world; it is like that.” —Erich Heller 992

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Question 160

I discovered that we can’t manage time, and that the key to success isn’t in all the things we do but in the handful of things we do well. 1021

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Question 161

the key to success isn’t in all the things we do but in the handful of things we do well. 1022

Answer 161

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Question 162

success comes down to this: being appropriate in the moments of your life. 1023

Answer 162

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Question 163

your energy, thought and capital exclusively upon the business in which you are engaged. 1035

Answer 163

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Question 164

quality of any answer is directly determined by the quality of the question. 1050

Answer 164

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Question 165

Voltaire once wrote, “Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers.” 1052

Answer 165

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Question 166

Research shows that asking questions improves learning and performance by as much as 150 percent. 1057

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 167

any wage I had asked of Life, Life would have willingly paid.” 1070

Answer 167

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Question 168

“What’s the ONE Thing I can do / such that by doing it / everything else will be easier or unnecessary?” 1097

Answer 168

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Question 169

You’re allowed to pick one thing and one thing only. 1101

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Question 170

There are many things we should, could, or would do but never do. Action you “can do” beats intention every time. 1104

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Question 171

Woulda-Coulda-Shouldas all ran away and hid from one little Did.” —Shel Silverstein 1106

Answer 171

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Question 172

“Such that by doing it” lets you know you’re going to have to dig deep, because when you do this ONE Thing, something else is going to happen. 1109

Answer 172

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Question 173

Archimedes said, “Give me a lever long enough and I could move the world,” 1112

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Question 174

It says that when you do this ONE Thing, everything else you could do to accomplish your goal will now be either doable with less effort or no longer even necessary. 1114

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Question 175

Most people struggle to comprehend how many things don’t need to be done, if they would just start by doing the right thing. 1115

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Question 176

The Focusing Question asks you to find the first domino and focus on it exclusively until you knock it over. 1117

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Question 177

Great questions are the path to great answers. 1121

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Question 178

The Big-Picture Question: “What’s my ONE Thing?” Use it to develop a vision for your life and the direction for your career or company; it is your strategic compass. It also works when considering what you want to master, what you want to give to others and your community, and how you want to be remembered. It keeps your relationships with friends, family, and colleagues in perspective and your daily actions on track. 1125

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Question 179

The Small-Focus Question: “What’s my ONE Thing right now?” Use this when you first wake up and throughout the day. It keeps you focused on your most important work and, whenever you need it, helps you find the “levered action” or first domino in any activity. 1128

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Question 180

“Success is simple. Do what’s right, the right way, at the right time.” —Arnold H. Glasow 1137

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Question 181

the Focusing Question is the most powerful success habit we can have. 1141

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Question 182

the Focusing Question is a way of life. I use it to find my most leveraged priority, make the most out of my time, and get the biggest bang for my buck. Whenever the outcome absolutely matters, I ask it. I ask it when I wake up and start my day. I ask it when I get to work, and again when I get home. 1142

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Question 183

put up a sign at work that says, “Until my ONE Thing is done—everything else is a distraction.” 1195

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Question 184

“People do not decide their futures, they decide their habits and their habits decide their futures.” —F. M. Alexander 1206

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Question 185

Quadrant 4. Small & Specific: “What can I do to increase sales by 5 percent this year?” This aims you in a specific direction, but there’s nothing truly challenging about this question. 1223

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Question 186

Quadrant 3. Small & Broad: “What can I do to increase sales?” This is not really an achievement question at all. 1227

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Question 187

Quadrant 2. Big & Broad: “What can I do to double sales?” Here you have a big question, but nothing specific. It’s a good start, but the lack of specifics leaves more questions than answers. 1231

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Question 188

Quadrant 1. Big & Specific: “What can I do to double sales in six months?” Now you have all the elements of a Great Question. 1234

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Question 189

Answers come in three categories: doable, stretch, and possibility. 1246

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Question 190

Highly successful people choose to live at the outer limits of achievement. They not only dream of but deeply crave what is beyond their natural grasp. 1256

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Question 191

If you want the most from your answer, you must realize that it lives outside your comfort zone. 1258

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Question 192

A Great Answer is essentially a new answer. It is a leap across all current answers in search of the next one and is found in two steps. 1262

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Question 193

your first ONE Thing is to search for clues and role models to point you in the right direction. The first thing to do is ask, “Has anyone else studied or accomplished this or something like it?” The answer is almost always yes, so your investigation begins by finding out what others have learned. 1264

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Question 194

The research and experience of others is the best place to start when looking for your answer. 1273

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Question 195

A new answer usually requires new behavior, 1283

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Question 196

There is a natural rhythm to our lives that becomes a simple formula for implementing the ONE Thing and achieving extraordinary results: purpose, priority, and productivity. 1303

Answer 196

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Question 197

Your big ONE Thing is your purpose and your small ONE Thing is the priority you take action on to achieve it. The most productive people start with purpose and use it like a compass. 1306

Answer 197

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Question 198

The more productive people are, the more purpose and priority are pushing and driving them. 1313

Answer 198

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Question 199

All businesspeople want productivity and profit, but too many fail to realize that the best path to attaining them is through purpose-driven priority. 1315

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Question 200

Great businesses are built one productive person at a time. 1320

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Question 201

“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” —George Bernard Shaw 1325

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Question 202

Charles Dickens shows us a simple formula for creating an extraordinary life: Live with purpose. Live by priority. Live for productivity. 1354

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Question 203

our purpose sets our priority and our priority determines the productivity our actions produce. 1357

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Question 204

As the narrative ends, Scrooge’s purpose is no longer money, but people. 1370

Answer 204

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Question 205

Who we are and where we want to go determine what we do and what we accomplish. 1375

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Question 206

One of our biggest challenges is making sure our life’s purpose doesn’t become a beggar’s bowl, a bottomless pit of desire continually searching for the next thing that will make us happy. That’s a losing proposition. 1398

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Question 207

Happiness happens on the way to fulfillment. 1408

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The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 208

Dr. Martin Seligman, past president of the American Psychological Association, believes there are five factors that contribute to our happiness: positive emotion and pleasure, achievement, relationships, engagement, and meaning. 1409

Answer 208

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Question 209

When our daily actions fulfill a bigger purpose, the most powerful and enduring happiness can happen. 1412

Answer 209

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Question 210

financially wealthy people are those who have enough money coming in without having to work to finance their purpose in life. 1420

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Question 211

It’s been said that the end shouldn’t justify the means, but be careful—when achieving happiness, any end you seek will only create happiness for you through the means it takes to achieve it. 1424

Answer 211

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 212

The prescription for extraordinary results is knowing what matters to you and taking daily doses of actions in alignment with it. 1429

Answer 212

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 213

Sticking with something long enough for success to show up is a fundamental requirement for achieving extra-ordinary results. 1436

Answer 213

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 214

Purpose provides the ultimate glue that can help you stick to the path you’ve set. When what you do matches your purpose, your life just feels in rhythm, and the path you beat with your feet seems to match the sound in your head and heart. 1437

Answer 214

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 215

your “Big Why.” It’s why you’re excited with your life. It’s why you’re doing what you’re doing. Absent an answer, pick a direction. “Purpose” may sound heavy but it doesn’t have to be. 1447

Answer 215

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Question 216

Pick a direction, start marching down that path, and see how you like it. Time brings clarity and if you find you don’t like it, you can always change your mind. It’s your life. 1456

Answer 216

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Question 217

“Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now.” —Alan Lakein 1460

Answer 217

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 218

Live with purpose and you know where you want to go. Live by priority and you’ll know what to do to get there. 1466

Answer 218

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 219

Purpose without priority is powerless. 1472

Answer 219

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 220

the word is priority—not priorities—and it originated in the 14th century from the Latin prior, meaning “first.” If something mattered the most it was a “priority.” Curiously, priority remained unpluralized until around the 20th century, 1473

Answer 220

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Question 221

we have goals and plans for only one reason—to be appropriate in the moments of our lives that matter. 1483

Answer 221

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 222

The truth about success is that our ability to achieve extraordinary results in the future lies in stringing together powerful moments, one after the other. 1486

Answer 222

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 223

our ability to achieve extraordinary results in the future lies in stringing together powerful moments, one after the other. What you do in any given moment determines what you experience in the next. Your “present now” and all “future nows” are undeniably determined by the priority you live in the moment. 1486

Answer 223

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 224

If you’re offered a choice of $100 today or $200 next year, which would you choose? The $200, right? You would if your goal were to make the most money from the opportunity. Strangely, most people don’t make that choice. Economists have long known that even though people prefer big rewards over small ones, they have an even stronger preference for present rewards over future ones—even when the future rewards are MUCH BIGGER. It’s an ordinary occurrence, oddly named hyperbolic discounting—the further away a reward is in the future, the smaller the immediate motivation to achieve it. 1490

Answer 224

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Question 225

Economists have long known that even though people prefer big rewards over small ones, they have an even stronger preference for present rewards over future ones—even when the future rewards are MUCH BIGGER. It’s an ordinary occurrence, oddly named hyperbolic discounting—the further away a reward is in the future, the smaller the immediate motivation to achieve it. 1492

Answer 225

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Question 226

you’re training your mind how to think, how to connect one goal with the next over time until you know the most important thing you must do right NOW. 1519

Answer 226

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 227

Connect today to all your tomorrows. It matters. 1525

Answer 227

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 228

In the end, students who visualized the process performed better across the board—they studied earlier and more frequently and earned higher grades than those who simply visualized the outcome. 1528

Answer 228

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Question 229

students who visualized the process performed better across the board—they studied earlier and more frequently and earned higher grades than those who simply visualized the outcome. 1528

Answer 229

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 230

People tend to be overly optimistic about what they can accomplish, and therefore most don’t think things all the way through. Researchers call this the “planning fallacy” Visualizing the process— 1530

Answer 230

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 231

Much has been written about writing down goals and for a very good reason—it works. 1539

Answer 231

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Question 232

Those who wrote down their goals were 39.5 percent more likely to accomplish them. 1541

Answer 232

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 233

“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 1554

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Question 234

Productive action transforms lives. 1558

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Question 235

what we do defines our life more than anything else. In the end, putting together a life of extraordinary results simply comes down to getting the most out of what you do, when what you do matters. 1566

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Question 236

putting together a life of extraordinary results simply comes down to getting the most out of what you do, when what you do matters. 1567

Answer 236

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 237

They time block their ONE Thing and then protect their time blocks with a vengeance. 1586

Answer 237

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 238

Highly successful people are clear about their role in the events of their life. 1888

Answer 238

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 239

One of the fastest ways to bring accountability to your life is to find an accountability partner. 1892

Answer 239

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 240

Individuals who wrote their goals and sent progress reports to friends were 76.7 percent more likely to achieve them. 1899

Answer 240

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 241

“the single most important difference between these amateurs and the three groups of elite performers is that the future elite performers seek out teachers and coaches 1903

Answer 241

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 242

“The Good Samaritan Experiment.” 1929

Answer 242

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Question 243

In the end, fewer than half the students stopped to help. But the deciding factor wasn’t the task—it was time. Ninety percent of the students who were rushed failed to stop and render aid to the stranger. 1934

Answer 243

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Question 244

THE FOUR THIEVES OF PRODUCTIVITY 1) Inability to Say “No” 2) Fear of Chaos 3) Poor Health 4) Habits Environment Doesn’t Support Your Goals 1941

Answer 244

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 245

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. 1947

Answer 245

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 246

When you say yes to something, it’s imperative that you understand what you’re saying no to. 1951

Answer 246

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 247

Apple created. In the two years after his return in 1997, he took the company from 350 products to ten. 1955

Answer 247

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Question 248

You can’t please everyone, so don’t try. 1961

Answer 248

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 249

saying yes to your ONE Thing is your top priority. 1962

Answer 249

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 250

if you feel there are times you need to say no in a helpful way, there are many ways to say it that can still lead people forward toward their goals. 1972

Answer 250

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Question 251

leverage your yeses. 1976

Answer 251

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Question 252

A request must be connected to my ONE Thing for me to consider it. 1984

Answer 252

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 253

When you give your ONE Thing your most emphatic “Yes!” and vigorously say “No!” to the rest, extraordinary results become possible. 1992

Answer 253

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 254

A not-so-funny thing happens along the way to extraordinary results. Untidiness. Unrest. Disarray. Disorder. 1994

Answer 254

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Question 255

Messes are inevitable when you focus on just one thing. 1996

Answer 255

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 256

One of the greatest thieves of productivity is the unwillingness to allow for chaos or the lack of creativity in dealing with it. Focusing on ONE Thing has a guaranteed consequence: other things don’t get done. 1999

Answer 256

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 257

When you strive for greatness, chaos is guaranteed to show up. 2007

Answer 257

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 258

“When you argue for your limitations, you get to keep them,” 2025

Answer 258

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 259

“The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook.” — William James 2026

Answer 259

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Question 260

Move past your fear of chaos, learn to deal with it, and trust that your work on your ONE Thing will come through for you. 2030

Answer 260

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Question 261

Personal energy mismanagement is a silent thief of productivity. When we keep borrowing against our future by poorly protecting our energy, there is a predictable outcome of either slowly running out of gas or prematurely crashing and burning. 2036

Answer 261

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 262

if you haven’t walked at least 10,000 steps, make it your ONE “exercise” Thing to reach your 10,000-step goal before you go to bed. This one habit will change your life. 2051

Answer 262

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Question 263

Calendaring your day this way frees your mind from worrying about what might not get done while inspiring you with what will. 2057

Answer 263

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Question 264

when you spend the early hours energizing yourself, you get pulled through the rest of the day with little additional effort. 2074

Answer 264

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 265

Your environment must support your goals. Your environment is simply who you see and what you experience every day. 2082

Answer 265

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 266

Attitude is contagious; it spreads easily. As strong as you think you are, no one is strong enough to avoid the influence of negativity forever. 2091

Answer 266

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 267

Their book, Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives, connects the dots between our relationships and drug use, sleeplessness, smoking, drinking, eating, and even happiness. For instance, their 2007 study on obesity revealed that if one of your close friends becomes obese, you’re 57 percent more likely to do the same. 2098

Answer 267

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Question 268

Hanging out with people who seek success will strengthen your motivation and positively push your performance. 2106

Answer 268

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 269

No one succeeds alone and no one fails alone. Pay attention to the people around you. 2109

Answer 269

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Question 270

Walk through the path you’ll take each day, and eradicate all the sight and sound thieves that you find. 2123

Answer 270

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Question 271

when you clear the path to success— that’s when you consistently get there. 2128

Answer 271

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Question 272

“To get through the hardest journey we need take only one step at a time, but we must keep on stepping.” —Chinese Proverb 2151

Answer 272

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Question 273

at any moment in time there can be only ONE Thing, 2178

Answer 273

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Question 274

Actions build on action. Habits build on habit. Success builds on success. 2179

Answer 274

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Question 275

One evening an elder Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside all people. He said, “My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us. One is Fear. It carries anxiety, concern, uncertainty, hesitancy, indecision and inaction. The other is Faith. It brings calm, conviction, confidence, enthusiasm, decisiveness, excitement and action.” The grandson thought about it for a moment and then meekly asked his grandfather: “Which wolf wins?” The old Cherokee replied, “The one you feed.” 2187

Answer 275

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Question 276

A life worth living might be measured in many ways, but the one way that stands above all others is living a life of no regrets. Life is too short to pile up woulda, coulda, shouldas. 2211

Answer 276

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Question 277

Bronnie Ware’s 2012 book The Top Five Regrets of the Dying did both. The five most common were these: I wish that I’d let myself be happier—too late they realized happiness is a choice; I wish I’d stayed in touch with my friends—too often they failed to give them the time and effort they deserved; I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings—too frequently shut mouths and shuttered feelings weighed too heavy to handle; I wish I hadn’t worked so hard—too much time spent making a living over building a life caused too much remorse. As tough as these were, one stood out above them all. The most common regret was this: I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself not the life others expected of me. Half-filled dreams and unfulfilled hopes: this was the number-one regret expressed by the dying. 2217

Answer 277

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Question 278

Gilovich and Medvec in 1994 wrote, “When people look back on their lives, it is the things they have not done that generate the greatest regret…. People’s actions may be troublesome initially; it is their inactions that plague them most with long-term feelings of regret.” 2227

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Question 279

Put yourself together, and your world falls into place. 2261

Answer 279

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Question 280

it’s time to put The ONE Thing into action in your life. VisitThe1Thing.com to start thinking big by going small and focusing on your ONE Thing today! Find up-to-date information on our seminars and coaching programs, as well as exclusive ONE Thing tools. See real-time updates from others joining the worldwide movement and share your ONE Thing. Experience your ONE Thing today. 2924

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