How did Bill Gates become the richest man in the world? What makes an Olympian like Michael Phelps extraordinary? Want to know what the Focusing Question is and how it can transform your life? Dive in to uncover the myth of multitasking, the power of habits, the importance of counterbalance, and the real meaning of success. This compelling read will guide you in focusing on your ONE thing and achieving extraordinary results.

The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results

The movie "City Slickers" teaches us an important lesson about success: focus on one thing. That's the secret. Your one thing is what you have to figure out.

For instance, Gary Keller, the author, was running a successful company, but suddenly, things started to crumble. His life was in turmoil. He was failing. Gary sought help from a coach who identified 14 key positions in the company that needed new faces. He was stunned. In an unexpected move, he fired himself as CEO and focused on finding the right people for those 14 positions. The result was transformative. In three years, the company experienced an annual growth of 40% for almost a decade.

This journey led to the emergence of the language of the ONE Thing. Gary started asking people: “What’s the ONE Thing you can do this week such that by doing it everything else would be easier or unnecessary?” The results were phenomenal. He realized that all his successes and failures hinged on how much he focused on one thing.

Big success is not time-consuming or complicated. Rather, it's about going small, focusing on what matters most. It's about creating a domino effect in life. Success is sequential, not simultaneous. It's one thing at a time.

Let's look at Bill Gates as an example. His one passion, computers, led to his key skill, programming. He met one person, Paul Allen, who became his partner in Microsoft. Their focus on one thing, developing and selling BASIC interpreters for the Altair 8800, transformed Microsoft and made Gates the richest man in the world for 15 straight years.

In a world of endless opportunities and possibilities, the path to success can be overwhelming. But the secret is simple: Live the ONE Thing. Focus on what matters most, make the best decisions possible, and never look back.

Can Focusing on 'ONE Thing' Make You as Successful as Bill Gates?

Mark Twain once said that it's not what we don't know that gets us into trouble, but what we know for sure that just isn't so. In the age of "truthiness" and endless distractions, this rings especially true. The term "truthiness", coined by comedian Stephen Colbert, refers to truths that come from the gut, not books - truths that sound just "truthy" enough for us to accept as true. But these "truths" often lead us astray, muddling our thinking and sidetracking our success.

Similarly, another widespread misconception that hinders our productivity is the belief in multitasking. We live in a world where multitasking has become the norm. We juggle emails, meetings, tasks, and deadlines, all while trying to stay ahead of the game. But here's the harsh reality - multitasking is a lie. Research shows that we can't effectively focus on two things at once. When we try to, we end up making more mistakes, making poorer decisions, and experiencing more stress.

And then there's the myth of equality in productivity. We've been led to believe that all tasks are created equal, and that success is a game won by whoever does the most. But the truth, as proved by Pareto's Principle or the 80/20 rule, is that a small amount of causes creates most of the results. In other words, not everything matters equally, and success isn't about doing the most - it's about doing what matters most.

So, what's the solution? It's simple - focus on The ONE Thing. The ONE Thing is that single, most important task that will lead to the most results. When you narrow down your focus to The ONE Thing, you give it your undivided attention, and you start to see extraordinary results. 

Remember, life is too short to chase unicorns. The real solutions we seek are almost always hiding in plain sight. Don't let the lies of "truthiness", multitasking, and equality in productivity derail you. Instead, embrace the power of The ONE Thing, and watch as it transforms your life and leads you to unprecedented success.

Truthiness and Multitasking: Unraveling Productivity Myths for Unprecedented Success

The myth of self-discipline is pervasive in our culture, often seen as the key to success. However, the truth is that discipline alone is not the answer. Instead, it's about directing our inherent discipline towards forming the right habits. Success is not a marathon of disciplined actions, but rather a sprint powered by discipline just long enough for habits to take over.

Contrary to popular belief, you don't need to be a disciplined person to succeed. Doing the right thing, not everything right, is the key to success. It's about choosing the right habit and applying just enough discipline to establish it. 

For instance, Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps demonstrates the power of selected discipline. Despite being diagnosed with ADHD as a child, Phelps channeled all of his energy into one discipline that developed into one habit—daily swimming. This habit not only led to his extraordinary success as an athlete but also simplified his life.

Research shows that it takes an average of 66 days to form a new habit. So, while it may be challenging at the beginning, over time, these habits become easier to maintain and can even lead to improvements in other areas of life.

However, it's important to consider willpower in this equation. Research shows that willpower depletes as we use it throughout the day, much like a phone's battery life. Therefore, it's essential to manage it wisely, prioritize tasks when willpower is at its peak, and ensure that we fuel our brain with the right food.

Is Success About Being Disciplined or Crafting Powerful Habits: What Can We Learn From Michael Phelps?

Balance in life is a myth, a misleading concept most people accept as a worthy and attainable goal. However, the quest for balance between work and life is not only a losing proposition, but it also can be hurtful and destructive. The truth is, we're constantly in a state of balancing, giving time to what matters, which requires focused attention and time. This makes balance impossible as spending time on one thing means taking time away from another.

Historically, work was life. For thousands of years, if you didn’t work, you didn’t live long. It wasn't until the 1980s that the term “work-life balance” was coined when more than half of all married women joined the workforce. This concept has since dominated our minds and imagination, but it's not what we should be seeking. Rather, the act of living a full life by prioritizing what truly matters is the key to a successful life. 

In the pursuit of a full life, we often perceive big as bad, thinking that big success brings crushing pressure and stress. But in reality, thinking big is essential to achieving extraordinary results. It allows us to ask different questions, follow different paths, and try new things, opening the doors to possibilities that until now only lived inside us. 

Therefore, we should replace the word “balance” with “counterbalance”. This means never going so far that you can’t find your way back or stay so long that there is nothing waiting for you when you return. In your personal life, counterbalance requires constant awareness. In your professional life, counterbalance means giving all the time that your top priority demands, even at the expense of other, lesser priorities.

In essence, thinking big, aiming high, and acting bold are the keys to extraordinary results. Don’t let small thinking cut your life down to size. Take courage and don’t fear failure, see it as part of your learning process, and keep striving for your true potential. Remember, an extraordinary life is a counterbalancing act.

Redefining Success: The Counterbalancing Act for an Extraordinary Life

For years, Gary was caught in the trap of believing that success meant doing everything equally well. He tried to juggle too many tasks, and it took a toll on his health and happiness. Eventually, Gary realized that he was living a lie. He was trying to live up to an impossible standard, and all it got him was burnout and disappointment.

It was time to challenge the conventional wisdom of success. Gary decided to unclench and listen to his body, slowing down and focusing on doing less but doing it better. He ditched the pretense and went back to being himself, and he found that success wasn't about juggling everything at once. It was about focusing on the one thing that mattered most.

Gary's discovery led him to a simple truth: we often overthink, overplan, and overanalyze our lives. We believe that long hours and multitasking are the keys to success, but they're not. Success comes from doing the one thing that we do best and doing it well.

This realization led Gary to the concept of the "Focusing Question." It's a question that can help pinpoint the one thing, the task that will make everything else easier or unnecessary. The Focusing Question is: “What’s the ONE Thing I can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?”

The Focusing Question is not just about work. It can be applied to all aspects of life, including relationships, personal goals, and even a spiritual journey. It can help determine the one thing to focus on to achieve goals and live a fulfilling life.

Are You Overlooking the Power of the 'Focusing Question' in Your Pursuit of Success?

Our lives have a natural rhythm that forms a simple formula for success: purpose, priority, and productivity. These three elements are interconnected and continuously affirm each other's existence. Your big ONE Thing represents your purpose and your small ONE Thing is the priority you act upon to achieve it. The most productive people use their purpose as a compass, allowing it to guide the priority that drives their actions.

Consider this relationship like an iceberg: what you see on the surface (productivity and profit) is always supported by a more profound foundation (purpose and priority). The best path to productivity and profit is through purpose-driven priority. Personal productivity is the cornerstone of business profit. Great businesses are built one productive person at a time.

So, how do you create an extraordinary life? Charles Dickens’s character, Ebenezer Scrooge, provides an example. Scrooge's transformation from a cold-hearted miser to a caring, beloved man shows us how our destinies are shaped by our decisions. His purpose changes from hoarding money to helping people, and his actions reflect this shift. His life becomes about relationships and lending a hand, using his money to help others.

Many of us seek happiness, yet we often misunderstand how to achieve it. The surest path to lasting happiness is through fulfillment. Dr. Martin Seligman, past president of the American Psychological Association, believes there are five factors that contribute to our happiness: positive emotion and pleasure, achievement, relationships, engagement, and meaning. Becoming more engaged in what we do by finding ways to make our life more meaningful is the most reliable way to find lasting happiness.

The ability to achieve extraordinary results lies in stringing together powerful moments, one after another. What you do in any given moment determines what you experience in the next. Your "present now" and all "future nows" are undeniably determined by the priority you live in the moment. 

Goal setting serves one purpose: to be appropriate in the moments of our lives that matter. We must connect today to all the tomorrows it will take to get there. Visualizing the process – breaking a big goal down into the steps needed to achieve it – helps engage the strategic thinking you need to plan for and achieve extraordinary results. 

Finally, writing down your goals works. Those who wrote down their goals were 39.5 percent more likely to accomplish them. Writing down your goals and your most important priority is your final step to living by priority. 

Unlocking Extraordinary Results: The Power of Purpose, Priority, and Productivity

Time blocking is key to productivity and achieving extraordinary results. This involves prioritizing tasks, fiercely protecting your time, and acting on your goals. A perfect example is Ebenezer Scrooge, who transformed his life through productive action. However, being productive isn't just about working hard, but working smart. 

We're always doing something, but what we choose to do matters. This is where time blocks come in - they ensure that what needs to be done gets done. Make an appointment with yourself for your ONE Thing and protect it from distractions. This is a powerful tool for productivity.

Consistent and deliberate practice over time leads to mastery. It requires a commitment to becoming the best, persevering through challenges, and seeking better ways of doing things. For instance, Stephen King, one of the most successful writers of our time, dedicates four hours a day to writing.

Similarly, accountability is also crucial. Taking ownership of your outcomes drives success. Highly successful people are accountable; they persevere through problems and achieve results others only dream of. 

Finally, find an accountability partner or coach. They can provide objective feedback, create expectations for progress, and provide necessary expertise. Having an accountability partner can make you twice as effective in achieving your goals. 

Can Time Blocking and Accountability Be Your Secret Weapons for Extraordinary Success?

In 1973, researchers set up "The Good Samaritan Experiment" with a group of seminary students. The goal was to observe what factors influenced whether or not they would help a stranger in distress. The deciding factor wasn't the task at hand, but time. The students who were rushed were less likely to stop and help the stranger, underscoring that our best intentions can be easily undone. 

This leads us to the Four Thieves of Productivity: 
• an inability to say "no," 
• fear of chaos, 
• poor health habits, and 
• an environment that doesn't support your goals. 

Saying "no" is essential to protect what you've said "yes" to. Every time you agree to something, you inevitably have to reject other things. Steve Jobs, for instance, was as proud of the products he didn't pursue as he was of the successful ones Apple created. 

Next, fear of chaos often hampers productivity. When we focus on a singular priority, other aspects of our lives may fall by the wayside. However, it's crucial to accept this chaos and not let it distract us from our ONE Thing. 

Similarly, poor health habits can silently steal productivity. Personal energy mismanagement can lead to slowly running out of gas or crashing and burning. High achievement requires big energy, so it's vital to take care of your physical and mental health. 

Finally, your environment must support your goals. This includes the people you surround yourself with and your physical surroundings. 

The journey to extraordinary results starts with a single step, your ONE Thing. But remember, success is an inside job. When you bring purpose to your life, understand your priorities, and achieve high productivity on the most important priority every day, you can achieve extraordinary results.

Steve Jobs' Philosophy and the Four Thieves of Productivity

The key to success is focusing on one thing and doing it well. A single-minded focus can help in overcoming challenges and achieving transformative results. This strategy applies not just to business pursuits, but to all aspects of life. 

Multitasking and believing that all tasks are equally important can lead to stress and less effective results. Success should rather be seen as a sequence of events, where one achievement paves the way for the next. Thus, it's not about doing everything right, but about doing the right thing.

Forming the right habits plays a critical role in success. It's not about being disciplined in every aspect, but about directing discipline towards forming and maintaining key habits. Willpower, like a battery, depletes over time, hence it should be managed wisely.

The concept of 'balance' in life is a myth. What is required is a constant state of counterbalancing, where we focus on what matters most at any given time. Aiming high, thinking big, and acting boldly are key to achieving extraordinary results.

The 'Focusing Question' is a valuable tool to identify the single most important task that can make everything else easier or unnecessary. This question can help in achieving goals and leading a fulfilling life.

Purpose, priority, and productivity are interconnected elements that contribute to success. Having a clear purpose can guide priorities and enhance productivity. Happiness comes from fulfilling a bigger purpose rather than acquiring material possessions.

Time blocking is a useful strategy for productivity, where specific time is set aside for important tasks, protecting it from distractions. Mastery comes through deliberate and consistent practice over time. Accountability, personal and through a partner or a coach, is crucial for success.

Four key factors can steal productivity: inability to say no, fear of chaos, poor health habits, and an unsupportive environment. Understanding and managing these factors can pave the way to extraordinary results. Success, ultimately, is an inside job that requires purpose, understanding of priorities, and high productivity.

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