Gary Keller - The One Thing
The importance of priorities and focus
To be successful, it is important to understand that not everything is of equal importance. You need to focus on finding the shortest path between what you are currently doing and what you want to achieve.
Setting a high goal and prioritising will help you achieve your goals.
Often, one decision can decide the fate of a company, change your life, or influence your destiny.
All of these aspects are of varying importance.
Six False Beliefs
- Everything is equally important.
- Multitasking.
- Discipline.
- Willpower is always on our side.
- Life streamlining.
- Bigger is not always better.
Not all your actions will lead to success. Successful people can distinguish the most important from the less important. The Pareto principle (80/20) helps you focus on the most important tasks.
The Reality of Multitasking
Multitasking is a fraud. It is inefficient and does not lead to results. Switching between tasks leads to a loss of productivity.
We expect 100% attention from doctors and pilots, but we also believe in multitasking.
Distractions are a normal part of life. It's important to understand that multitasking is detrimental to results.
Discipline
Success does not necessarily require discipline. Habits play a more important role. By focusing your discipline on one thing, you allow yourself to be less disciplined in another. It is easier to maintain a habit. Discipline is only needed at the beginning of habit formation. On average, it takes 66 days to form a habit.
Important Thoughts.
- Don't force yourself to be disciplined in everything.
- Develop skills one by one.
- Allow enough time for habit formation.
#Willpower: The Key to Success
The test of willpower was conducted with the help of marmalade, which was left for children and promised two if they did not touch it. Those with a strong will are more successful, as the experiment proved. However, it is important to remember that the more we use willpower, the less of its resource remains.
Important Thoughts:
- Don't waste your willpower, it is not unlimited.
- Follow the readings of your fuel gauge, eat properly and regularly.
- Choose the right time to complete tasks.
#BalancedLife
Life is a constant balancing act. Trying to live a balanced life often leads us to a dead end. Sometimes miracles are waiting for us where we least expect them. It is important to learn to distinguish between what is important and what is not and to pay attention only to what really matters.
Important Thoughts:
- You are balancing five balls in your life. Only one of them is rubber, and it is work. Shake up the balance to prioritise what's important.
- Think of your goals as a rocker with two buckets. They need to balance each other out.
- Balance your work and personal life.
#Greatness: Sending the Signs of Success
Big goals have the power to create incredible results. Although they may seem unattainable, when we achieve them, we grow beyond ourselves. It's important not to be afraid of big goals, because they lead to big achievements.
Important Thoughts:
- Think big and act boldly.
- Do not be afraid of failures, they lead to success.
Focus and Priorities.
Focus on what really matters. Life is like balancing eggs in a basket. By breaking everything down into simple parts, you can get a better handle on things and achieve greater success.
Focus Question: What is one thing I can do that will make everything else easier or unnecessary?
A question that focuses
Focus on what you are doing. Put all your eggs in one basket; if you have too many baskets, you will break all your eggs. Break down a complex task into smaller ones and tackle the first one right away.
Question:
What is the one thing I can do that will make everything else easier or unnecessary?
Important thoughts:
- Great questions lead to great answers, a focusing question is a great question.
- A focusing question is a dual-purpose question, it can be used for both narrow and broad purposes.
- A broad purpose question: "What is one thing I own?"
- A narrowly focused question: "What is one thing I have right now?"
Success skill
Ask a focusing question every day. Over time, you'll learn when to ask a narrowly focused question and when to ask a broader question. Ask questions that are specific to the area and time frame.
Important thoughts:
- You should understand and believe in the idea of one thing.
- Use this idea, start your day with this question.
- Make it a habit.
- Use reminders.
- Use support.
The path to Big Answers
A great and accurate question leads to great results. Turn it into a focusing question to find the one thing you can do to get the result you want. Successful people do things that are on the edge of what is achievable, and doing such tasks builds invaluable experience. If you want to get the most out of the answer, you need to understand that it is outside your comfort zone. It is wise to study other people's experiences before starting your research.
Important thoughts:
- Think big and think precisely.
- Think at the limit of your abilities.
- Identify trends in other people's experiences.
Outstanding results.
Even if you are on the right road, you will be run over if you just sit there. Your big one thing is your purpose. Your small one thing is your priority actions to achieve. The more effective people are, the more they are driven by purpose. Don't turn your life into a begging bowl - a bottomless vessel that accumulates things designed to make us happy. Happiness is gained on the path to self-realisation. Being highly involved in your work is the most reliable way to achieve happiness. Your tasks should coincide with your purpose.
Important thoughts:
- Happiness is gained on the path to self-realisation.
- Find your big "why".
- In the absence of a clear route, choose a direction.
Live by priority
A purpose without a priority is powerless. Priority is one thing. With my goal in mind for someday.
Questions:
- What is one thing that will bring me closer to it that I can accomplish in 5 years?
- Given my 5-year goal, what can I do in 1 year that will keep me on track to achieve my goal?
- Given my goal for the year, what can I do this month?
- Given my goal for the month, what can I do this week?
- Given my goal for the week, what can I do today?
- Given my goal for today, what can I do right now?
Important thoughts:
- There can only be one thing.
- The goal for now.
- Write down your goals.
Live a productive life
The most successful people are the most productive people. Make time for your most productive activities. If one activity gives you good results, allocate as much time as possible to this activity. Take time off - plan long holidays and weekends, you will be more productive. Build your day around one top priority. The most productive people don't finish work until they have completed their priority task. You should devote at least 4 hours a day to your priority task. Set aside one hour each week to review your tasks. Protect your allocated time.
How to protect your time:
- Build a bunker.
- Make supplies, don't go for coffee and snacks.
- Beware of landmines, turn on your email.
- Enlist support.
Important thoughts:
- Connect, do something every day that brings you closer to your goal.
- Make time for your one thing.
- Protect your time.
Important thoughts:
Adopt the attitude of a perfect person, strive for outstanding results. You need to constantly look for the best ways to do your job.
- Follow the path of excellence.
- Move from P to Z.
- Live in a cycle of responsibility.
Follow the path of excellence
We are masters of what we know and students of what we don't know. That is why improvement is a journey. The path to excellence is endless.
Move from P to Z
Continuous improvement is critical to getting the most out of your time. P stands for entrepreneurial approach, C for focused approach. Once you have reached a ceiling, you need to look for opportunities to surpass it. The plateau of acceptability is one of the most common ceilings of opportunity.
Live in a cycle of responsibility
Actions determine results. Taking responsibility is the best incentive to achieve goals. You can become a victim if you don't take responsibility. A good mentor or teacher can help us take responsibility.
Important thoughts:
- Maintain a commitment to dedication.
- Be focused on your one thing.
- Become the master of your results.
- Find a mentor.
The Four Thieves.
Inability to say no
You will be distracted, tell him too much, narrow your focus. When you think of focus, you think it's about saying yes, but it's really about saying no. Say "no" with respect, help someone who is looking for help elsewhere. I don't know the secret to success, but the secret to failure is trying to please everyone.
Fear of chaos
There are no stop and pause buttons. There will be chaos around you, and you have to learn to work in this mode. The deeper you go into your one thing, the more forces try to push you out. Everything you do with passion is fraught with chaos.
Unhealthy lifestyle
If you don't take care of your body, where are you going to live? Don't trade health for success, sleep, exercise, eat right. Consider yourself a biological machine and think about how your body should function.
Your environment does not support you
Your environment can be more important than you think. We pick up habits from those around us. Communicating with people who want to succeed will motivate you. Choosing the wrong environment will have a negative impact on your success. Place has an impact on achieving results, so that you can focus on your one thing, you need a place that will help you.
Important thoughts:
- Start saying no.
- Embrace the chaos, working on one thing pushes everything to the side.
- Manage your energy.
- Become the master of your environment.
Journey
Write a number that describes your current income. Write the number you want. Ask yourself, will I be able to earn that much in 5 years at my current job? If so, double the figure until you get a negative answer. If you then manage to bring your actions in line with the results of the calculation, you will live a full life. Income is used here for example only.