The ONE Thing

The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results

By: Gary Keller, Jay Papasan

Narrated by: Timothy Miller, Claire Hamilton

Length: 5 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's Summary

This is an audiobook for busy people. If you want less on your plate and more for your life and career, tune in to the #1 Wall Street Journal best seller, The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results. The ONE Thing will bring your life and your work into focus. Authors Gary Keller and Jay Papasan teach you the tricks to cut through the clutter, achieve better results in less time, dial down stress, and master what matters to you. Unabridged version includes:

• A special foreword by Gary Keller. Interludes by legendary guitarist Monte Montgomery.

What’s your ONE Thing? For more information on The ONE Thing, events, coaching, and tools, visit www.The1Thing.com.

©2012 Rellek Publishing Partners, Ltd. (P)2013 Rellek Publishing Partners, Ltd.

Really Helpful Book!

Where does The ONE Thing rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I read a lot of business and self help books and this is definitely one of the better ones. The content is unique and engaging.

What other book might you compare The ONE Thing to and why?

I would definitely compare this book to two other books - 1) The Compound Effect and 2) Manage Your Day to Day, Find Your Focus, And Sharpen Your Creative Mind. They discuss similar concepts.

What did you learn from The ONE Thing that you would use in your daily life?

I've learned how to FOCUS more. This book has very practical and useful worksheets/PDFs and trust me, it's totally worth doing those exercises; it will help a lot in terms of gaining focus and clarity with your ONE thing.

Below are some of elements of the book that really stuck with me.

1. Extraordinary results are directly determined by how narrow you can make your focus.

2. Achievers always work from a clear sense of priority. Instead of a to do list, you need a success list -- a list that is purposefully created around extraordinary results.

3. The majority of what you want will come from the minority of what you do.

4. Success is actually a short race -- a sprint fueled by discipline just long enough for habit to kick in and take over.

5. It takes an average of 66 days to acquire a new habit.

6. You make doing what matters most a priority when your willpower is at its highest. Do your most important work -- your ONE thing -- early.

7. Our purpose sets our priority and our priority determines the productivity our actions produce.

Overly Simplistic, Good if You're Already Rich

First of all, I'll save you from wasting a lot of time listening to this book. He simply repeats this question thru the entire book, over and over. "What's the ONE thing you can do now to make all other things easier or unnecessary?" The problem is that you end up with 500 ONE things in a REAL life. It is evident that he is writing this book as someone who already had enough money that he could choose to ignore everything else in life but his ONE thing. In the real world though people can't simply ignore all their emails, all their employees requests, all their bosses demands, etc. I understand what he is trying to say "prioritize the various areas of your life and stay focused on the most important thing in each". This is obvious to anyone and doesn't need a long book to explain. But his book is overly simplistic for the real world. Don't bother wasting the time listening to this book. Choose something else as your ONE thing.

Tired and painful

Only made it to chapter 3 before I realize I can’t stand this book. Says it was written in 2013 but the format and narration seem like it’s right out of 1991. Totally dated. As someone who cares about the triple bottom line and companies actually giving a rip about something, anything in the world other than money, the glorification of monopolists like Bill Gates, companies like Starbucks who trash the earth with unrecyclable waste, and just about every giant conglomerate responsible for grave income inequality, makes me want to beat my head in.

And what is successful, talking about people and businesses that became so “successful” by doing “one thing”? Your definition is simply money, size, and more consumption of market. That’s so last century. Lame book in every way.

Inspiring

This book is inspiring. It enlightens you to the misconceptions about being productive and give you tips on how to focus on the things that produce extraordinary results. Loved it!

The book I would have written 60 years from now

The idea of the book is quite simple, and it is well supported by anecdotes and scientific research. In one package it puts together every good idea I have ever heard, and some I had previously not, on creating a life of meaning. I would normally say that this kind of book isn't for everyone and perhaps it's only for people with a lot of ambition but I think that is not strictly true. I loved the domino analogy and it makes a lot more sense than a compound interest analogy I usually hear in its syead (mainly because who pays this compound interest? A bank? Why would they? Too many questions for an analogy to be raising).

I highly recommend this book and intend to buy physical copies to give to my friends. The audio version is also well done

This one surprised me!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Much much much better than expected. Everything is perfect about it:

1. Doesn't promote more stress and overwhelm. You're not asked to make lists, overwork yourself, etc – as it's often the case in other books in this genre.

2. It's so well-written. Engaging.

3. It's so well organised. Easy to follow and digest.

4. The method is sound and logical.

5. Perhaps related to point number three, but the music between the chapters add a positive note (pun intended) to the presentation and overall experience.

Such a keeper, this book.

So dull!

I almost always finish books but I just couldn't do it with this one. Author has no interesting story or unique experiences to support his idea.

He just says "focus on doing one thing" over and over and over. His examples are really trite and unoriginal. How many times have we all heard the marshmallow study?

It's like the author had one idea and then just repeated it incessantly and slipped in examples from a google search.

Life changing

This is my first book review. I am taking the time to review this because I truly think that it could change everyone's life for the better.

It is not difficult to follow the suggestions. When you do then it soon becomes apparent that you have been living and prioritizing the wrong way.

I have lost weight, started a new business and I am about to quit my 9 to 5. I have been talking about this for years. Now I can do it.

Read or listen to this book. It may change your life!

Useful and applicable!

I enjoyed this book from start to end and will listen to it again. I appreciated the insights and applicable suggestions. I am already thinking differently about how I approach my days.

Better than I expected!

A friend of mine suggested I read this book, but I was hesitant after reading some of the reviews from other listeners. I ended up buying the book and I'm glad I did. Good ideas well presented. If the listener will implement, good things are likely to happen.