Gary Keller proposes a framework for achieving extraordinary results in work and in life in general. The author’s premise is that extraordinary results are directly determined by how narrow you can make your focus, or more precisely, by focusing on the One Thing.
"[Achievers] have an eye for the essential. They pause just long enough to decide what matters and then allow what matters to drive their day. Achievers do sooner what others plan to do later and defer, perhaps indefinitely, what others do sooner. The difference isn’t in intent, but in right of way. Achievers always work from a clear sense of priority."
The author explains how getting things done is not a matter of discipline but of developing habits that will help you focus on the task at hand. Discipline is needed to acquire the habit, but we cannot run on discipline in the long term.
Achieving extraordinary results requires making extraordinary efforts. In that sense, Keller does not believe in a balanced life as a goal to be achieved or a state of balance, but in counterbalancing your life as an every day reality, an act of balancing.
"If you think of balance as the middle, then out of balance is when you’re away from it. Get too far away from the middle and you’re living at the extremes. 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. Sometimes this can be okay and sometimes not. 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."
"One day you finally come to understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. The other four balls—family, health, friends, integrity—are made of glass. If you drop one of these, it will be irrevocably scuffed, nicked, perhaps even shattered."
The book mentions the now-more-known Stanford Marshmallow Experiment by Walter Mischel, which relates the effect of delayed gratification and developing grit with outcome and success in different areas in life.
Keller also cites Carol Dweck‘s research on growth-mindsets vs fixed mindsets as an example of how your perception of things strongly affect what you can achieve:
"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"
Keller’s framework is constructed on applying what he calls the Focusing Question to the different areas of your life: What’s the ONE Thing I can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?
"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."
"To stay on track for the best possible day, month, year, or career, you must keep asking the Focusing Question. Ask it again and again, and it forces you to line up tasks in their levered order of importance. (…) you can drive yourself nuts analyzing every little aspect of everything you might do. I don’t do that, and you shouldn’t either. Start with the big stuff and see where it takes you. Over time, you’ll develop your own sense of when to use the big-picture question and when to use the small-focus question."
Answers to the Focusing Question come in three categories: doable (something that is already within your reach), stretch (at the farthest end of your range), and possibility (an answer that exists beyond what is already known and being done). “Highly successful people”, explains Keller, “choose to live at the outer limits of achievement. They not only dream of but deeply crave what is beyond their natural grasp.”
The Focusing Question, however, is not enough. Adopting the mindset of someone seeking mastery is needed (the commitment to becoming your best, and embrace the effort it represents).
"More than anything else, expertise tracks with hours invested. Michelangelo once said, 'If the people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery, it wouldn’t seem wonderful at all.'"
You will also need to deal with the natural ceiling of achievement with a purposeful mindset (not accepting the limitations of our natural approach as the last word), and learn to be accountable for the outcome of your lives (in contrast with being a victim of the situation). This is essential —according to Keller— to achieve extraordinary results.
"If you have to beg, then beg. If you have to barter, then barter. If you have to be creative, then be creative. Just don’t be a victim of your circumstances."
Almost finishing the book, Keller warns the reader against the four thieves that can stand in our way to extraordinary results. The inhability to say “No” , the fear of chaos —”pursuing your One Thing moves other things to the back burner (…) chaos is unavoidable. Make peace with it. Learn to deal with it”— , poor health habits, and an environment that doesn’t support your goals.
I enjoyed reading the book and strongly agree with most of what the author proposes. You can use the framework “as-is” or adapt it to suit your needs
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Customers say
Customers find this book life-changing and easy to understand, with clear explanations and actionable insights. Moreover, the concepts are simple yet profound, providing valuable practical ideas and helping readers find greater focus by concentrating on one thing at a time. Additionally, customers appreciate the well-researched content and its effectiveness in achieving results.
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927 customers mention content, 902 positive, 25 negative
Great book, gave me a whole new perspective on finding my true purpose. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to set more specific gold for life.Read more
Excellent book. Highly recommended especially if you need to refocus and train yourself to focus on the one thing you need to accomplish.Read more
...Good book. Like any book you have to make sure that you follow through and execute on the ideas within reading itself is not enough.Read more
Amazing book! On the first read, i thought there wasnt much stuff in it (probably was distracted). I am glad i took time to read the second time.Read more
523 customers mention readability, 512 positive, 11 negative
Great read. Easy to read and focuses on important ways to improve your life. The only thing you will regret is not starting reading this soonerRead more
Worth your time; it will transform your life. Easy to read or listen to on audible. Highly recommend it to anyone with a goal and purpose in life.Read more
A nice and easy read and a good reminder and lesson on time management. I liked the book but it was kind of a reiteration of things I already do.Read more
...just focus in one thing, and the after the next! etc, good read and if you do multitasking forget about it, you are slower than "one tasking"Read more
342 customers mention insightful, 340 positive, 2 negative
...Overall, “The ONE Thing” is an insightful and practical book that encourages readers to prioritize their efforts and focus on what truly matters to...Read more
A new and exciting way to think about daily business practices. Great advice.Read more
Great Insight . Use the method daily . Every time fund myself chasing my tail and spinning tires have to get back to the ONE thing / great readRead more
Very insightful and thought provoking. Made me rethink how I go about my day, week, month, and year. Great read.Read more
256 customers mention simplicity, 246 positive, 10 negative
...The 1 Thing condenses all of Gary's previous "how to" books into a simple, easy to remember and follow strategy for making everything else happen.Read more
Incredible read! Masterfully written. Easy and enjoyable to read. Full of thoughts that brought new paradigm shifts in every chapter....Read more
Bought a second copy for my grandson. Simple concept with extreme potential for increasing ones productivity and effectiveness in the world....Read more
Again, another refresher. This is an easy reader and again very simple and guides us to finding the most important goal and then helps us draw up...Read more
229 customers mention practical, 224 positive, 5 negative
...Man, am I glad I went back to it. Gary gives a lot of practical and insightful advice that one can use immediately to begin focusing on...Read more
...This is the useful part - and it is actually very useful. So I changed my rating....Read more
Good book, very helpful and short, easy to read. Was recommended by a client who wanted to implement some of the techniques. Insightful read.Read more
The book is very easy to read and very practical.If you follow the recommendations it will help you not only to work less but archive more....Read more
167 customers mention focus, 167 positive, 0 negative
...a great reminder of a principle to a fullfilling and disciplined life: focus, and make sure to make your One Thing a priority.Read more
...Being single-minded, focused and driven makes a lot of sense.Read more
This had a lot of helpful tips on managing life and focusing. But if you but it all together, it does get a bit overwhelming.Read more
this book really gets you to focus. It has helped me dump a few things that were not productive. well thought out well written.Read more
149 customers mention effectiveness, 147 positive, 2 negative
Simple yet effective. Easy to follow examples to help you knuckle down focus and get rid of frustrations! Recommended to all!Read more
...This is essential —according to Keller— to achieve extraordinary results. "If you have to beg, then beg....Read more
...Extraordinary results - unlocking the possibilities with you...Read more
...book helps you focus your efforts, use your time more wisely, get better results, and become more time-rich...giving you the freedom to do what you...Read more
134 customers mention informative, 125 positive, 9 negative
Very informative. Getting myself back on track and focusing on the ONE THING that's most important to meRead more
It has some useful information but I found this book to be all over the place.Read more
...Well researched and backed by facts and studies, this book is credible and easy to follow. What do you have to lose?...Read more
Great information on how to decide what to focus on to get the results you want....Read more
This book can help you evolve into the fully optimized person you are meant to become!!
I love this book and highly recommend it to anyone who wants to become all they are capable of becoming with the gifts they have been given. Gary and Jay’s philosophy of life closely match that of my own. In fact, they write about applying The One Thing principles to “the important areas of my life: my spiritual life, physical health, personal life, key relationships, job, business, and financial life.” In my book, The Belief Road Map, I write about my philosophies for the Seven Foundations of Health: physical fitness, mental fitness, spiritual fitness, financial fitness, love, adventure and significance. The authors teach the reader about the importance of reflection, the Pareto principle of prioritization, doing work you love, and taking complete ownership. All of these I have been working on in my own life for quite some time. I learned a lot though, as I read their unique views on these tools for happy living. The BIG takeaway for me was their idea of making peace with chaos. They write, “Accept chaos. Recognize that pursuing your ONE Thing moves other things to the back burner. Loose ends can feel like snares, creating tangles in your path. This kind of chaos is unavoidable. Make peace with it. Learn to deal with it. The success you have accomplishing your ONE Thing will continually prove you made the right decision.” Wow – what a great lesson!! My philosophy on ‘Why We’re Here’ is to become all we are capable of becoming with the gifts we are given so that we are able to give to others, lift them, and help them become all they are capable of becoming with the gifts they are given. This book helping me to live that philosophy… and it’ll help you too!! Thank you Gary and Jay for writing such an important book!! Matt Gersper Founder, Happy Living [...]
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- Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2015
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Mateo EguigurenReviewed in Spain on June 26, 2022
Un principio fundamental que se nos escapa todos los días
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase -
Solon de Lucena JuniorReviewed in Brazil on April 2, 2026
LIVRO PRÁTICO E CLARO
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase - O. NicolaiReviewed in Singapore on October 25, 2024
Delivered item not a new article as per purchase
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
I received the book yesterday and it’s definitely not a new item; the covered is damaged and dirty all over the entire covered of the book.O. NicolaiDelivered item not a new article as per purchase
Reviewed in Singapore on October 25, 2024
That’s very disappointed because I paid for a new article, obviously I received an item which has been used and is not new.
The content of the book is great, therefore I give only 3 stars because of the condition of the item, not because of the book itself.
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