Afterpage

The ONE Thing

Gary Keller with Jay Papasan

For people with too many priorities and not enough progress on any of them. It's a short, repetitive book with one big idea, which is also its strength.

A week with this book

A short summary today, then one small action a day for six days. Free for your first book.

The ONE Thing Gary Keller with Jay Papasan

Free for your first book. No card. One click to stop.

Day 1

The ideas the week uses

Gary Keller, co-founder of the real estate company Keller Williams, argues that extraordinary results come from narrowing your focus to the one thing that matters most. Doing that one thing makes everything else easier or unnecessary.

  1. The focusing question. Keller suggests asking: what's the one thing I can do such that, by doing it, everything else will be easier or unnecessary? Ask it at every level, from life goals to the next hour.
  2. The domino effect. Small wins in the right order can lead to large results, the way a small domino can knock over a slightly bigger one, and so on. Success is sequential, not simultaneous.
  3. Lies that get in the way. Keller lists common myths: everything matters equally, multitasking works, you need a disciplined life, willpower is always available, a balanced life is possible, and big is bad.
  4. Goal-setting to the now. Work backward from your someday goal to the next five years, this year, this month, this week, today, and right now. Each answer sets up the next.
  5. Time block your one thing. Protect a large block of time, ideally early in the day, for your most important work. Treat the block as non-negotiable.

Where it overreachesThe book repeats its main idea many times and offers few tools beyond the focusing question and time blocking. The suggested four-hour block is hard for many jobs.

Days 2 to 7

How to apply The ONE Thing

10 to 20 minutes each, with a two-minute version for a bad day.

Printable week card (one page)

  1. 2Ask the focusing questionAsk the focusing question about your work, write down your answer, and do one step of it today.
  2. 3Set goals to the nowWrite your someday goal, then work back to five years, one year, one month, one week, today, and right now.
  3. 4Block the timePut a protected block of at least 90 minutes on your calendar for your one thing, and keep it.
  4. 5Stop multitasking for a dayDo one thing at a time all day, finishing or deliberately pausing each task before starting the next.
  5. 6Find your dominoesList the steps toward your one-year goal in the order they need to happen, and pick the first domino.
  6. 7Protect your blockWrite three rules for protecting your time block, and use them in this week's block.

Sample

Day 3, in full

This is what lands in your inbox that morning.

AfterpageDay 3 of 7 · Action

Set goals to the now

Today’s action · 10 to 20 minutes

Write your someday goal, then work back to five years, one year, one month, one week, today, and right now.

How

Use one line for each. Each answer should set up the next one: what's the one thing for this year that leads to the five-year goal, and so on. Finish with what you'll do right now, and do it.

Why this one

Keller calls this goal-setting to the now. It connects long-term goals to today's actions.

If today is a bad day

Write your one-year goal and the one thing for this week.

In short

Questions about this book

Who is The ONE Thing by Gary Keller with Jay Papasan for?

For people with too many priorities and not enough progress on any of them. It's a short, repetitive book with one big idea, which is also its strength.

What are the main ideas in The ONE Thing?

Gary Keller, co-founder of the real estate company Keller Williams, argues that extraordinary results come from narrowing your focus to the one thing that matters most. Doing that one thing makes everything else easier or unnecessary. The focusing question; The domino effect; Lies that get in the way; Goal-setting to the now; Time block your one thing.

What do you do in the Afterpage week for The ONE Thing?

Day 1 is a short summary. Then one action a day, each 10 to 20 minutes: Ask the focusing question; Set goals to the now; Block the time; Stop multitasking for a day; Find your dominoes; Protect your block. Day 7 also has a recap.

Where does The ONE Thing overreach?

The book repeats its main idea many times and offers few tools beyond the focusing question and time blocking. The suggested four-hour block is hard for many jobs.

What is the first action in the The ONE Thing week?

Ask the focusing question. Ask the focusing question about your work, write down your answer, and do one step of it today. If you only have two minutes: Write your one thing for today.

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