The One Thing
The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results
Author: Gary Keller with Jay Papasan
Length: 240 pages (~5 hour read)
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle, Audible
Grab your copy of The One Thing on Amazon here.
Why This Book Matters
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by competing priorities, constant fires, and endless to-do lists, The One Thing offers a powerful antidote. Keller argues that success doesn’t come from doing more—it comes from narrowing your focus to what matters most. This book is especially helpful for business owners who are spread too thin, struggling to make meaningful progress, or trying to scale without losing clarity. It’s about simplifying your focus to amplify your impact.
Core Idea
Extraordinary results are determined by your ability to focus on the one most important thing at any given time. By asking yourself, “What’s the ONE Thing I can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?”, you cut through noise and distraction and focus your energy on what actually moves the needle. Success isn’t about doing everything—it’s about doing the right thing, consistently.
Key Tactics & How to Apply Them
1. Ask the Focusing Question
“What’s the ONE Thing I can do… such that by doing it, everything else will be easier or unnecessary?”
How to apply: Use this question to guide daily priorities, strategic decisions, and team alignment. Post it in your office. Start meetings with it. Use it to clarify your next action whenever you’re stuck.
2. Go Small to Go Big
Trying to tackle everything leads to mediocrity. Going small means focusing only on what truly matters.
How to apply: Identify the lead domino—the one action that will knock over the rest. Say no to everything else until that one thing is done. Build a culture of focus instead of multitasking.
3. Time Block Your One Thing
You can’t do your most important work in leftover time.
How to apply: Block 2–4 hours each morning for your most important activity—and treat that time as sacred. Defend it from interruptions, meetings, and shallow work. Train your team to do the same.
4. Create Success Habits
Success is built sequentially, not simultaneously.
How to apply: Focus on building one powerful habit at a time. Start small, then stack additional habits over time. Use 66-day habit tracking to ensure consistency before moving to the next.
5. Eliminate Distraction and Burnout
Distraction is the enemy of depth, and burnout is the cost of misaligned energy.
How to apply: Audit your calendar for time-wasters. Say no more often. Build rest and renewal into your weekly rhythm. Protect your energy like it’s a business asset—because it is.
6. Align Teams with the One Thing
When everyone’s rowing in different directions, growth stalls.
How to apply: Make sure your company’s One Thing is clear—and that every team and department knows how their daily work supports it. Use it to align goals, priorities, and resource allocation.
Real-World Example
A real estate entrepreneur was juggling 14 different projects, none of which were getting real traction. After applying The One Thing, he shut down all but one business unit and focused entirely on expanding a single, profitable niche. Within 18 months, revenue doubled and burnout disappeared. By doing less, he achieved more.
When to Use This Book
You feel pulled in too many directions and lack focus
Your business is making progress, but not at the pace you want
You’re constantly busy, but not making real breakthroughs
You’re scaling and need to bring clarity to your team’s priorities
You want a simple, practical method to regain control of your time and energy
Grab your copy of The One Thing on Amazon here.