Out of the countless personal development and business books available, “The ONE Thing” by Gary Keller stands out as my all-time favorite. I read it at least once a year, and that might seem odd to some of you. After all, there are hundreds of other books I could focus on. Yet, this one has secured the number one spot in my life, and here’s why.
Understanding The ONE Thing
We live in a world where it’s easy to get distracted by what’s new, exciting, or trendy. As humans, we tend to take on more than we can handle. We’re constantly searching for the next big opportunity or the next “best thing.” But here’s the problem: when we start chasing new things without finishing what we’ve already started, we lose sight of what’s truly important. Instead of focusing on what will make the biggest long-term impact on our lives, we go after what feels good in the moment.
That’s why “The ONE Thing” resonates with me so deeply. I learned long ago that success comes from finding your one thing and pursuing it relentlessly. It’s about identifying the one goal, passion, or project that you will never give up on, no matter how difficult or overwhelming it becomes. Once you find that one thing and focus all your energy on it, success is almost inevitable.
The beauty of “The ONE Thing” is that you don’t even have to read far to uncover a life-changing lesson. Before you dive into the book, Keller introduces a powerful proverb: “If you chase two rabbits, you will not catch either one.” This simple yet profound truth reminds us that trying to do too much at once leads to failure in both endeavors.
So, the question is: have you found your one thing yet? If not, don’t worry. We all have our own journey to discover what truly matters. But once you do find it, let nothing distract you from pursuing it with everything you’ve got.
If you’re still searching for your one thing, I highly recommend reading this book. It has the potential to change your life just as it has changed mine.
The law of averages is the idea that over time everything will eventually work its way to equilibrium. When you think about it that means everything around you is becoming more average. This concept is really important when you think about who you spend your time with. Are your friends and family struggling to get by or are they successful? Depending on how you answered that question you should be able to reflect on what they’re doing and see how things are most likely going to be for you.
It’s important to understand that just because your friends and family act a certain doesn’t mean you have to do the same thing. It only takes one person to change your life. One person make a positive impact on you that pushes you in the right direction. Look at the people you spend your time with and ask yourself “Do I want to be like these people?” if the answer is “Yes” then you’re doing something right. If you answered “No” then it’s time we look at how the people around you impact your life.
How People Influence You
There are many ways that the people around you influence your life. Peer pressure is a really difficult thing to work around. If your friends and family are making certain choices it’s more likely that you will too. It’s hard to go against what the social norms are when it comes to your group. You can become an outcast and we are programmed to avoid becoming an outcast. What you need to remember is the choices you make can only truly affect you. Don’t let the choices of other influence you into doing something that doesn’t improve your life.
The more time you spend with successful people the more you will realize that success comes from the choices you make. If your friends are saving 10% of their income it is more likely that you will too. Start small and find one person that is a good influence on your life. Find someone that has the same goals, aspirations, and dreams as you. This person should be more experienced than you and can help you out. It only takes one person to change your life. Remember that your net worth will be based on your network.
Law of Averages
The law of averages is an important thing to understand. In the most basic form it states that over time things will become more similar. Earlier I mentioned that it means we reach an equilibrium. Both of these ideas are true. The law of averages can really make a difference in your life because you become like your friends. If your friends are successful you will be successful. If you friends watch every new movie you are more likely to watch every new movie.
Life likes to balance itself out. That means if you want to balance out higher or become above average you are going to need to do above average things. One of those above average things you can do is create a network of successful people to spend time with. If you surround yourself with success you will eventually become successful. This happens through a process of mimicry. Find the people that have successful habits and follow in their footsteps. Some of the habits will be difficult but others will happen naturally without you know. Remember it’s easier to change things one step at a time. Don’t go big and give up. Start small and pyramid your success into bigger success.
Help Others Achieve More
One way to help build your network is to help others. Now that you’re in the mindset of looking for successful people to help you, get out there and help others. Giving to others is one of the best ways to have others give to you. You don’t need to be the best at something to help someone learn. In reality you only need to be one step ahead of the person you’re teaching. Do what you can to help others and add value to their lives and it will not only grow your network but it will make you feel good about yourself. Feeling good about yourself is one step towards becoming more successful. You’re also building that network so you’re killing two birds with one stone!
No One Achieves Success Alone
Contrary to what most people believe success isn’t about being self made. Success is about surrounding yourself with people that can help you achieve more. The people you surround yourself with are everything. At any point in time someone you know may bring you the opportunity that changes your life. Don’t forget that you may be the person in someone else’s life that changes their whole world. Be social but know that you need to look for people that aspire to bigger things than what they have today. There is nothing wrong with big dreams!
Let’s Get Started
It’s time to get serious about your network and who you spend your time with. Here are 6 steps to improve your network so you can achieve more.
Write down 3 traits of the person you want to become.
Create a list with the 5 people you spend most of your time around.
Write down the 3 most common traits of each person.
Compare these 15 traits to the traits you want to have. If the traits don’t match decide if this person is helping you or hurting your dreams of becoming successful. If they are hurting your dreams mark them off. This doesn’t mean you have to drop all contact with them it just means that you are more knowledgeable about the situation.
Now it’s time to find replacements for the people that you have marked off. This doesn’t need to happen quickly. Some great places to find successful people are Toastmasters meetings, Real Estate Investment Associations, networking events, or events related to you hobbies. It is easy to find these groups using the Meetup app.
Now that you are working on growing your network, share this idea with other people that you think will benefit from meeting new people. You can never know too many people and you can never help too much.
Don’t forget that no one succeeds alone. The people around you are going to make all the difference. Find the best and eventually you will be the best!
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