The Power of One

I believe we all have the power to focus on what is most important in our lives

So often we get distracted. Our days are filled with unending text messages, tweets, status updates, phone calls, kids crying, and co-worker interruptions. These endless distractions disrupt our flow and prevent us from getting everything done on our to-do list. We begin the day with great intentions. We set out to conquer a task at our job, respond to all the e-mails in our inbox, make that important sale, hit the gym for a workout, eat healthy so we have more energy, and clean the house when we get home. Yet, what usually happens is we get one or two of the several “important” things done, at best. We have competing goals and we tend to prioritize poorly when life gets busy. This leads to chaos, and we go into survival mode. Why does this happen despite our best intentions?

• As the great, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe once stated, “Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.”
• When asked what the primary factor is that has led to their career success, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett both said, “Focusing on what is most important."

Clearly, the average American life is more cluttered in 2016 than it was in 1916. We have more jobs to choose from. Family dynamics have significantly shifted, which has led to a less traditional work-life schedule. We have devices attached to our hips that alert us anytime LeBron James picks his nose and blare a loud “weather alert” at 2am when there is a flood warning 250-miles away.

We are doing our best to combat the issues that our modern world has created. Time management content, training programs that promise increased productivity, and lifestyle apps are not in short supply.

In an attempt to cut through the clutter trap, I decided to begin a life-altering habit a few years ago. I made the decision to set goals. I was excited to see my ambitions articulated in a Word Document. My enthusiasm was so over the top that I began by listing around 20 goals that I wanted to accomplish over the following year. They were written down and I was passionate, so with complete certainty, I knew they’d all come to fruition. I was dead wrong! I had spread myself thin. By listing too many goals, I had not only allowed the clutter trap to continue, I had added to it.

In order to prevent distractions and competing goals from keeping us from getting the most important things done, we have to narrow our focus. Setting dozens of mutually exclusive and non-specific goals is not the answer, unless you want more frustration. We have to narrow our focus to one very specific goal. Here are some helpful questions that will allow you to hone in and capitalize on the power of one in the crucial areas of your life (job, finances, relationships, health):

• What is the one task I need to get done at my job (today, this week, this year)?
• What is the one thing I can do (today, this week, this year) that will improve my finances the most?
• Who is the one person in my life that is most important and what can I do to improve our relationship?
• What is the one thing I need to do to improve my body and health the most (today, this week, this year)

Be careful not to have too many “one” questions and goals, or else you will quickly fall back into the busyness zone, and will likely not accomplish the most important thing in each important area of your life.

It is only fitting that I conclude this post with a question that I heard Tim Ferriss ask on his podcast. He attributed this thought to Gary Keller and Jay Papasan:

• “What is the one thing I can do, such that by doing it, everything else will be easier or unnecessary?”