The ONE Thing: Gary W. Keller and Jay Papasan
How did you find out about the book?
This book was a recommendation by Melanie Kovacks, Joypreneur Coach and fellow Swiss entrepreneur. The moment I knew I had to take Melanie’s recommendation seriously was when she showed me her book case, which is ordered be theme, author and then the cherry on the cake… colour!
What is the book about?
This book is essentially a very simple, yet pragmatic method to decide which action you write into the number one spot on your to-do list by asking the question:
What is the One Thing I can do / such that by doing it / everything else will be easier or unnecessary?
What is your favourite quote or passage from the book?
Your work life is divided into two distinct areas – what matters most and everything else. You will have to take what matters to the extremes and be okay with what happens to the rest. Professional success requires it.
What are your three key takeaways?
Living in the Middle Means Never Giving Anything Your All: I absolutely love and completely relate to the concept that accomplishing something extraordinary requires stepping away from the middle.
Think big but focus small: This is similar to a wonderful idea from another favourite author of mine James Clear who said ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day, but they were laying bricks every hour’. With the key concept being that the accumulation of small actions lead to the construction of great empires.
Form Habits One At a Time to Become Disciplined: The somewhat charming naivety of the new year us nearly upon us. Many of us use this an an opportunity to pledge to eat better, exercise more, give-up chocolate, read 4 books a week, mediate daily and drink two litres of water a day.. for all of about 4 days. Keller and Papasan instead champion allowing habits to form one at a time, master it and automise it before taking on the next.
I love the simplicity and pragmatism of this book and hope you will too!
Happy reading.