The One Thing Book Summary

The One Thing Book Summary

In this article, I represented The One Thing Book Summary. The book is written by Gary Keller. It teaches how to focus on one thing to get extraordinary results and success in life.

This book is for everyone. It can change the direction of your life in a tremendous manner.

In this technological distracted world, the author explained how to focus and concentrate on the thing that makes you productive and successful.

Gary Keller is a business coach and author; he gives a simple and powerful framework to achieve outstanding results in your personal and professional life.

You will learn from this book, how to live purposeful life, how to prioritise your life, and how to improve productivity in life.

All the successful people perused one thing in life and they achieved great success.

Focusing on too many things might not lead you to success and achieve goals. 

But, author says focusing on One Thing will make a huge difference to achieve your goals.

The author further says, if you want to be successful then you will have to choose and do the right things in a sequence and each connected to the previous one. Rather than doing a lot of disparate things.

Gary Keller, the author of the book says real success is to focus on one thing.

This book is about to find your one thing and then focusing on that to achieve your goals. It is highly important to stay focus on one thing.

Book Summary

Below are the main takeaways from this book. There are important elements as summarised:

-The One Thing

-Domino Effect

-The Lies

-The Truth

-Extraordinary Results

-The Three Commitments

-The Four Thieves

-The Journey

-Implementation

The One Thing

Many of us focus on a lot of things at a same time therefore they don’t become extraordinary, they just end as average.

As the title of the book is The One Thing, the author suggests if you need extraordinary results, you will have to focus on one thing that makes you rich, and successful.

The highly successful people are successful because they focused on one thing.

For example, Bill Gates, he focused on computer, Warren Buffett focused on investment, and Mark Zuckerberg focused on social networking.

There are a lot of other examples of highly successful who became successful and rich because of focusing only on one thing.

The author suggests, you will have to narrow down your focus for best results rather than having a broader focus and concentration.

Going Small

The author in this book suggested Going Small approach for becoming extraordinary.

It simply means, ignoring the things that you can do and have to do the things that you should do.

He further says, how narrow is your focus is directly connected to extraordinary results.

In order to get the most out of your life and work, you will have to go as small as possible.

Going small is a workable approach it works anywhere, and on anything. It makes you focus on one thing and that is the point.

The Domino Effect

The author in this book illustrated the example of the domino effect. A tiny two inches domino has the power to fall thousand times bigger domino than itself. And that is called the domino effect.

The same domino effect can work in your life as well. If you want to get extraordinary results you will have to create a domino effect in your life.

According to author this approach is effective and it works, because success is sequential, not simultaneous. It starts as linear, but it becomes a geometric progression.

When you start doing something in small pieces, and over time it adds up. Then it becomes a geometric potential that leads you to success.

For example, if you want to read 20 books a year, for that you will have to start with a single or half page every day. Reading a page or half a day is your small domino and it will pile up as a big domino at the end of the year.

If you start something today, you will see the effects over time because success is sequential, which means to do one thing at a time.

Domino effects also means, you have to visualise your bigger dream and then to divide it in small parts. And start with the small parts now. This way you can achieve your biggest goal.

The Lies

In this book the author argued about some lies that keep you away from success and becoming extraordinary person.

These lie exist between you and success. So, it is highly important to know them.

They include:

1. Everything Matters Equally

The author argues that, everything matters equally in life is a lie. When you feel everything is urgent and important, it doesn’t get you closer to success.

When you put too many things in a to-do list, they all seem important and equally matter but in reality they are not.

Instead you need success list, which is purposefully crafted and created for extraordinary results.

For great success you have to convert your to-do list to success list. You have to apply Pareto Principle for that.

According to Pareto, your 20% work generates your 80% results. When you apply this principle to your to-do list, you will receive a success list.

Then further you will have to apply this principle to your success list, at last you will find the one thing.

You can apply 80-20 principle to your list in order to find your one thing.

2. Multitasking

The second lie is multitasking. The author says multitasking is a myth. It is sometimes possible to do two things at a same time. But, it is never possible to do in an effective way. It is neither efficient not effective.

Even a computer can’t do multitasking as we think it is. It performs so fast it seems the computer is doing multitasking, performing two or more functions at a same time.

He says comparing computers to human beings can lead to confusion. It means just focus on one thing to do it effectively.

3. Self-Disciplined Life

The author contradicts self-disciplined life. He says it is a lie. This is a general perception that success needs self-discipline, it is not true.

The author argues you don’t need more discipline than you already have. It just needs direction and management in a better way.

Self-discipline and habit are the foundations of success. To discipline yourself and follow good habits lead you to success.

4. Willpower is Always on Will-Call

Your willpower is always on will-call, is another lie that keeps you away from success.

Your willpower plays an important role to become successful and extraordinary. But, author says your willpower is limited.

It is like a mobile battery, which is fully charged in the morning but decreases as the time passes. It has a limited battery life, but renewable.

That’s why you have to do the one thing I mean the most important thing in the morning when your willpower is fully charged.

5. A Balanced Life

The author says a balanced life is a misleading concept. Most of us accept it as worthy and important.

He further says you have to reject it because it is a myth. It is a big idea but not a practical one; it is an idealistic but not a realistic one, because balance doesn’t exist.

When you try to maintain a balanced life will keep you away from becoming extraordinary and successful.

You should consider counterbalanced life rather than balanced life, author suggests.

Also Read: The Miracle Morning Book Summary

6. Big is Bad

The author says big is bad is a lie. Thinking big is bad or impossible to achieve anything, this is a myth.

When you correlate big with bad it triggers lessening thinking. It makes you to stay safe.

When you believe big to be bad, then the big thinking replaces with small ones.

For extraordinary results thinking big is necessary. Actions are connected to thoughts, and thoughts are connected to success.

The Truth

In this section of the book the author illustrated the simple path to productivity by asking focusing questions and how to arrive at great answers.

Effective productivity leads you to great success.

1. The Focusing Questions

The author argued that to get success then you will have to ask a right and focusing question.

Ask the powerful question, the answer will be powerful. And the powerful question you can apply to any area of your life, health, spiritual, finance, relationship etc.

The focusing question is: what’s the one thing I can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?

Author says life is question and the quality of question determines the quality of answer.

2. The Success Habit

The author says your habits are powerful they can lead you to great success. They are hard to break and create.

You have to make a habit to ask a focusing question every day. You can use it to get extraordinary results and life.

Start your each day with the focusing question. This way it will become a foundation for many things in your life.

3. The Path to Great Answers

Great questions will push to find great answers. When you ask a question it challenges you to find an answer.

You will find three types of answers, according to the author. They include doable, stretch, and possibility.

You can seek an answer which falls within your knowledge, skills, and experience. This way you can get the most out of the question.

Extraordinary Results

This section is about how to unlock the possibilities within you. The author described three factors formula to implement One Thing and get extraordinary results. 

They include; purpose, priority and productivity.

1. Live with Purpose

Author says in life to get extraordinary results you must know your purpose and have one.

It means what matters you the most and taking daily steps towards it. When you have a defined purpose for your life, it makes that easier to take decisions that lead you to great success.

2. Live by Priority

Priority comes with purpose. When you have a purpose in life, then you must have to prioritise what you do every day.

Author says priority is powerless without purpose.

As the word priority refers ‘prior’ means ‘first’, the thing that matters the most.

It means you must have priority for the most important thing in life.

3. Live for Productivity

In life you must be productive. It means you must produce positive results when you do something.

Author says the actions which are productive transform lives.

If you live productive it can produce extraordinary results. According to author, productive people get better results, do more, and earn much more than the rest of the people.

Author says to achieve great things you must have to block your time for your one thing. It means doing and focusing on your one thing in that particular time.

The Three Commitments

The author suggested three important commitments to achieve extraordinary results.

They include; path of mastery, moving from E to P, and accountability cycle.

1. Live the Path of Mastery

To achieve great success, you must have a mindset of a person seeking mastery.

It is a commitment to become and do your best to achieve extraordinary results. 

Extraordinary results need extraordinary efforts.

2. Move from ‘E’ to ‘P’

‘E’ and ‘P’ refer to two kinds of mindsets, the Entrepreneurial, and Purposeful.

The first refers to natural approach. It means doing something in a general way and without instructions. This mindset doesn’t examine options to go with.

On the other hand, ‘Purposeful’ refers to a different kind of approach. This mindset looks for a new models and systems to do something in a better way.

They examine the options and choose the best ones.

Therefore, author suggests you have to move from E to P, in order to achieve great things.

3. Live the Accountability Cycle

You need to live accountability cycle. You must have willingness to hold yourself accountable for that you doing to achieve your one thing.

It means taking a complete ownership of your results by not holding anyone else responsible.

This is a powerful thing you can have to achieve your results.

The Four Thieves

The author also illustrated the four thieves, the four factors in other words that keep you away from becoming extraordinary and successful.

You must stop these thieves if you want to be productive.

1. Inability to Say ‘No’

Inability to say no, can stop you from achieving success. In order to achieve great things there will be a lot of distractions that can stop you.

You must be able to say no to anyone or anything that can derail you from track. Be able to say no will make you powerful.

2. Fear of Chaos

When you start your journey for one thing, there will be messes, disorders, and unrest.

You have to allow chaos in your life; this is the worst enemy of your productivity if you are unwilling to do so.

If you have fear of chaos, then it can be hard to focus on your one thing. You will have to be used to it. Accepting chaos can increase your performance and focus.

3. Poor Health Habits

Author says you must take care of your body and health if you want extraordinary results.

You should have positive health habits. Mismanagement of your energy is a silent thief of your productivity.

Big energy is required for achieving great results and success.

4. Environment Doesn’t Support Your Goals

Author argues that your environment is important that must support your goals and purpose.

Environment means, the people around you and the places you live. These two components must be familiar and comfortable.

These elements can become thief for your productivity so be careful.

You have to surround yourself with the people who support your purpose.

The Journey

Remember to achieve extraordinary results it is a journey. You will have to go through difficulties and hurdles.

A long journey starts with a single step. And author says that one step is called The One Thing.

If you want to achieve something big, you will have to go small. For that not only you have to think big but you have to take actions.

When you focus small steps it simplifies your thinking and clarifies what you want in life.

Therefore, you should start your journey with a small domino and it will give you great results.

Implementation

When you have all the elements, then they need to put into practice. Every day you can ask the focus question that will increase your effectiveness and productivity.

You can apply your one thing to your family, relationship, job, finance, and other areas of your life.

Author says your one thing is real; it works when you implement it. If you try many things you will end up with nothing.

On the other hand, if you try one thing you will achieve extraordinary results.

Conclusion

The main theme of the book is to find your ‘The One Thing’. If you want extraordinary results and success you must focus on one thing rather than on so many things.

The singleness of purpose leads you to success. It is quite easy to follow your one thing effectively.

Just focus on one thing which makes it easier to achieve and other things unnecessary to follow.