The ONE Thing (Bard Press) is a productivity and personal development book written by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan. It is focused on the idea that to achieve success in any area of life, it is necessary to identify and focus on the one most important task or goal at a time. In this book, authors explain that there’s One Thing behind every successful person or organization. By understanding and applying it, you can concurrently do less and have more, get extra-ordinary results and lead an extra-ordinary life.
The book offers a number of strategies and techniques for identifying and prioritizing the “One thing” in your life, including setting clear goals, creating an action plan, and using techniques such as the “Focusing Question.” It also discusses the importance of balance and the role of positive habits and mindset in achieving success.
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Highlights:
- The ONE Thing
‘One thing’ is at the heart of every success. It’s your job to find and pursue your one thing. Success is a result of narrowing your concentration to one thing. It is built sequentially, one thing at a time. The One Thing is the best approach to getting what you want.
2. The Domino Effect
Getting extraordinary results is all about creating a domino effect in your life. Sometimes all it takes is one slight movement or action to set into motion many more steps that can become more powerful over time. One small domino had enough power to knock over nearly five million more dominos. To create the same geometric effect in your life, you need to find the lead domino i.e. the trigger. Keep working at it. When you finally knock it over, the dominoes behind it would be ready to fall or have already fallen down.
3. Six Myths about Success
Myth: Everything matters equally
In reality, 20% of your efforts generate 80% of your results (Pareto Principle). Achievers have an eye for the essential. Live a life focused on the vital few things that matter rather than the trivial many.
Myth: Multitasking gets more done
We may be able to do multiple things at once, but we can’t focus on two things at once. Constant multitasking leads to more mistakes, poorer choices, and greater stress. Multitasking has to be a smart and selective choice, to be used in very special cases.
Myth: We must live a Disciplined Life
In reality, we just need to form the right, powerful habits. No one is or can be disciplined all the time. All that is needed is a sincere effort.
Myth: Willpower is summoned when needed
Willpower is a finite resource and we must know how to use it wisely. You must learn to manage your willpower. For example, do your “one thing” early in the morning when your tank of willpower is still full.
Myth: We should live a Balanced Life
You can’t be everything to everyone, and a a balanced life means compromising on all fronts. What you want to seek is purpose and meaning, not balance. Balance is not all bad, but if you pursue success in certain realms, it naturally comes at the expense of other things.
Myth: Big is bad
Going big in your life is not a bad thing. If you believe in this myth, then small thinking will prevail in your life. Big is a good thing. Big is about who you can become and the bold ideas that reflect your exciting future.
4. Powerful questions and answers
For every area of your life identify the one thing on a certain time scale that you will do by answering the following question consistently:
For my [career, finances, leisure, learning, relationships, and health], what’s the one thing I can do [today, this week, this quarter, this year, in the next 5 years] such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?
If you want to be successful, choose great answers- answers which are doable, quantifiable and out of your comfort zone.
5. Live with Purpose, Live by Priority
Your purpose determines your priority, which then determines the productivity of your actions. Happiness happens when you have a bigger purpose than having more fulfillments.
Purpose without priority is powerless. Visualizing the process by jotting down the steps needed to achieve it and prioritizing them helps you achieve extraordinary results.
6. Live for Productivity
Success is born in productivity. There are a few ways to be more productive, the most important of which is time blocking three things:
Time block your time off
Time block your ONE Thing
Time block your planning time
Stay away from the four productivity thieves-
Inability to say “No”
Fear of chaos
Poor health habits
Environment that doesn’t support your goals.
7. The Three Commitments
Achieving extraordinary results through time blocking requires three commitments.
Adopt a mastery mindset
Seek the best ways to do things
Be accountable for your one thing
References: http://www.getstoryshots.com
Expressions and Impressions 
“The truth is that we can learn to condition our minds, bodies, and emotions to link pain or pleasure to whatever we choose. By changing what we link pain and pleasure to, we will instantly change our behaviors.”
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Fair and true sir. But challenge is to practise para 4-7
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