Why You Can’t Get Anything Done – The One Thing by Gary Keller | Animated Book Summary

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[CallBlofD]

That’s me in the video.
Trying to chase 69 different dreams simultaneously.

[HughKehz]

Having read numerous comments below, I wanted to contribute by saying that the book DOES NOT say that you should choose one passion/thing in life at the cost of all others. It's more about focussing on "one thing" - the most important thing - at a time, such that, by doing it, everything else becomes easier or unnecessary (obviously within a context).

As you well know, our lives are full of things that pull at us. Personally, I might waste a lot of time doing things I *know* are not the best thing I could do, yet I do them anyway. But I might also spend a lot of time doing something I genuinely think is the best thing for me to do at the time, and I end up dropping the idea later for whatever reason. The important message of the book, which, if we think about it, is that we can't usefully divide our focus and expect quality results in everything. Something's got to give. So, if we choose the "one thing" that makes the most sense, and if by doing it, it creates a domino effect on some of the other things we have to do, then we've made a good choice.

Like a gentleman who wrote earlier said, he has 2 passions - music/signing and wrestling. Coincidentally, I love music and singing. In fact, I used to record my music. And like him, I found that other interests started to take over. If they are hobbies and neither is linked to an income stream (whether immediately or hopefully one day), then you can weigh up what time you have (or can make) available to dedicate to each of those (if you want to do both), and then FOCUS completely on one of them at a time.

As I mentioned to him, if there's a wrestling technique he wants to master, perhaps commit to a set period of time to master it before working on another song. And when working on that song, don't stop between verses to do a bit of wrestling - unless he needs a break, and the wrestling is just to escape the studio for a bit.

In closing, it all depends on what the "one thing" is as to whether or not you can have other things potentially competing for your time and passions. If you want to perfect something or start a business based on a hobby, then that needs focus while other things can go on the back-burner. There's always a way of determining what the "one thing" is or needs to be, and the "one thing" is not the same as the ONLY thing". Rather, it's "the one thing - until the next thing", but managed well. :)

[methanepasbara]

You are absolutely correct. I tried too many things at once and failed miserably. It only pushed me to be more depressed about not completing my schedule.

[hikingatdegrees]

F.O.C.U.S. = Follow One Course Until Successful

[MLucky]

Reminds me of Arnold Schwarzenegger who when asked about how he planned for being a world bodybuilding champion, a famous international actor and State Governor, he replied something akin to he never thinks about what he's going to do after his current objective. He only focuses on that one objective, "the one thing". Thinking about future plans diverts necessary energy and cognitive attention away from attaining the current objective! When he was a bodybuilder, he didn't think that much about becoming an actor and when he was an actor, he wasn't thinking about becoming a politician.
He puts everything into attaining one goal at a time, it's all or nothing. 100% focus on one thing only.

[anjalichaurasia]

Exactly the same phase I have been going through. Now I realise that I have been trying to focus on everything at a time and that has created a mess inside my head.
Thank-you so much for this video.!

[pedrorodriguezramirez]

My one thing: writing. I droped out the idea of a "balanced" life-style like 2 months ago and it has helped a lot.  The progress I have made in a couple of months destroys the "progress" I was having when I was focusing on more things at a time. It´s worth the effort. thanks for the video.

[FDJustin]

Being "average" at a half dozen things would be pretty awesome actually...

[kushbhalerao]

Yes I wanted to do gym, reading, guitar, learning a new language and travel but I failed to do all this things. It's essential for everyone to understand this we need to focus on only one thing. This video is accurate.

[marctjoefat]

Great video, one of my favorite books.
These are my notes on the book:

1. Make a to-do list according to the 80/20 principle and keep narrowing it down until you've got 1 thing that causes most of your effects.
2. Multitasking is a myth because we forget the cost of task switching. Don't multitask.
3. Form 1 habit at a time, because you don't have enough willpower to do more. Give it 66 days to establish and you can go on to the next. Whenever a habit is established, it doesn't need that much willpower anymore, so I think this is probably the closest way to the 'balanced life'.
4. Willpower is like a battery, it runs out. Do the most difficult stuff early, when you still have the mental energy.
( Note' Willpower is also like a muscle, you can train it through stuff like meditation. Great book; Willpower by Baumeister and The Willpower instinct by McGonigal )
5. Think big, if you aim for the moon you'll land among the stars, etc. Set goals twice as large so your actual goal is guaranteed.

Hope they are useful.

[kkevin]

Thanks for the video. Btw, there's this thing called the 100 hour rule, whereby you do something for a hundred hours without distractions and decide whether you want to keep learning that task or drop it and go for another one.

[kwintenolaerts]

You and I are the same, we both have get the same passion and understanding from these books, I used the same books you review to turn my life around. I am amazed about how I can never find a mistake in the videos and your great spot-on analyses and interpretation of the books. It gives me much faith, nobody can really understand what those books did for me, but you can, because they did the same for you. They give you everything you could ever wish. Keep up the great job, you will have an amazing future.

[SKF]

And then there's DaVinci and Michelangelo: art, science, architecture.

[wandiehazan]

I think I ♡ you. You have no idea how "on time" and perfect your videos are. I'm a therapist and I repost your videos to my page and use them in my sessions. This will used today w/ a young lady/teen who struggles w/ ADHD. Perfect!

[benjaminstrauber]

You are changing people's lives forever. Thank you for helping me change mine.

[fadimalouf]

Great video! Simple and to the point. When I was 18 years old, I was trying to box and train for a bodybuilding show. Both of my coaches made me stop and told me I had to make a decision in which direction I needed to go. Best lesson I've ever learned and it worked for 10 + years. But today.... I seam to struggle again. I'm in the 2nd read of The 1 Thing and doing the work. This book has hit home for me. Thanks for the share.

[TheComiKen]

I can definitely relate to this. When I left school and realized I had all this time to create, I tried to do everything at once and ended up accomplishing little to nothing. I spent more time planning reading and daydreaming rather than actually doing. Over time, I've come to learn some of this book's aspects naturally, but I can still be a scatterbrain, so it really helps to have someone put it in concrete terms. Great Vid :)

[missclairebaker]

Best video I’ve watched. I’ve had this problem for years trying to do too many passions all at once, and I’ve got nowhere with any of them because I’m not focused. It’s hard to choose just one thing when you have a lot of interests, but the only way to be really successful in something is to FOCUS and master your craft in one thing. You can always do something for a few years with focus. Then move on to something else after, that’s what I’m going to do.

[mgmartin]

Reminds me of the scene from City Slickers when Curly tells Mitch to focus on one thing and that everything else “don’t mean shit”. Mitch then asks him what’s the one thing, and Curly says “That’s what you have to find out.”

[zsuzsannaszucs]

Bad news for persons with ADHD :D I am one of them... Since I get bored easily I need to do different things, not only one. Life works for me like a recipe: there is one major ingredient (one field to try to be a success, which is my profession), and if I want an exiting meal I have to put some "seasoning" in it (playing musical instrument, do some sports, reading, listening music, do something creative). Since these "seasonings" are just a pinch of my time, I don't feel them bothering my major goal. They spice up the journey. ;)