Gary Keller - The ONE Thing - The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results (Abstract of the book)

Let’s assume you have discovered your ONE thing, the key priority you need to achieve, and you have a clear plan of the steps needed to reach your goal.

You’re all set to conquer the world but with only one small problem: life does not have a pause button. While you are beavering away, working on your masterpiece, the world does not patiently wait for you to finish. Things stack up. There will always be other people and projects that demand your attention.

Imagine you are working on landing a big contract. You’ll need to make sacrifices. Your regular work is going to pile up or be delegated to colleagues.

As the chaos builds up in other areas, so does the pressure to attend to them. Learn to deal with this by trusting that the work you are doing on your top priority will come through for you, and in doing so will simplify other areas of your life. In short, let the chaos pile up.

So now that you’re focusing on your ONE thing, how do you make the most of your time?

Schedule blocks of time to work on your ONE thing, commit to them and defend them like they are your most important appointments. You also need to ensure that your physical environment doesn’t prevent you from using this time effectively. Wherever you work, you need to minimize potential distractions. Consider working away from your office if this is not possible.

Techniques such as these allow you to give your ONE thing the attention it deserves.

To focus on your ONE thing, you need effective time-management strategies, and to accept some chaos in other areas.

The main message in this book is:

Success comes from focusing on ONE thing, not many things. When working towards your ONE thing, avoid the pitfalls that prevent you from achieving success. Learn how to cut through the clutter and do your best work where it really counts.

This book in blinks answered the following questions:

How should I set goals and prioritize my work?

Failing to think big can limit your opportunities.

Prioritize your to-dos – they are not all equally important.

Asking the “focusing question” will help you to prioritize, create actionable tasks and achieve your goals.

How do I avoid being diverted from my ONE thing?

The secret to a disciplined life is sequential habit forming.

Multitasking is horribly inefficient: pick one thing and give it your undivided attention.

Your willpower is like a fuel tank: choose carefully where you use it or you may run out when you really need it.

Saying “no” to unimportant tasks is vital if you are to focus your efforts on the most important ones.

How do I achieve great results in pursuing my ONE thing?

Living with purpose and visualizing the steps to get to your goal will set you on the path to extraordinary results.

Never compromise your personal life for your professional goals – instead, prioritize your work time ruthlessly.

To focus on your ONE thing, you need to use effective time-management strategies, and accept some chaos in other areas.