The ONE Thing
Focus on the single most important task that makes everything else easier or unnecessary.
Also known as: ONE Thing Method, Focusing Question
Category: Techniques
Tags: productivity, focus, prioritization, time-management, goal-setting
Explanation
The ONE Thing is a productivity methodology developed by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan in their bestselling book of the same name. The core principle asks: 'What's the ONE Thing I can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?' This focusing question cuts through distraction and complexity by forcing prioritization to a single point. The method challenges the myth of multitasking and the lie that everything matters equally. It advocates for time blocking your most important work, going small by focusing narrowly, protecting your time from distractions, and building habits around your ONE Thing. The philosophy extends the Pareto Principle further - suggesting that within the vital 20%, there's always one thing that matters most. Success is sequential, not simultaneous. By domino-stacking your priorities (completing one thing that knocks down the next), extraordinary results become achievable through focused, consistent effort on what matters most.
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