The One Thing

Many of the members of our Living Your ONE Thing community have asked the same question: How do I discover my purpose? So many people asked us that we decided to sit down with Brian Schoenbaum, Founder & CEO of Vuka Collective, to create an exclusive training video for the ONE thing community. We talked to Brian because he operates on another level and a single purpose drives everything he does: helping people wake up in their personal and professional lives.   We're sharing the audio from that training here because we want you to understand what we're doing for members of our community and consider if it is a good fit for you. If it is, you can go to the1thing.com/membership and try your first week for only $1.   The ONE Thing to Implement From This Episode: Jay Papasan once said, "The path to discovering your purpose begins with getting on the path." Finding your purpose is not a result of following certain steps in order. It is about pausing and finding the space to ask questions: When I walk

Do you believe that thinking big and acting small, every day, will create extraordinary results? We've found that many people who try to live The ONE Thing don't trust The Domino Effect. We can cast a big vision for our life, but we often struggle to take daily action. This episode is a case study examining how, over four years, someone like you identified a specific daily action that made everything else easier or unnecessary, started living a big life, and toppled some huge dominoes.   The ONE Thing to Implement From This Episode: Trust in the power of The Domino Effect. What's the ONE thing you can do that will make everything else easier or unnecessary? When you look at all of the areas of your life, what's the ONE area you need to focus on first? Apply the focusing question until you identify a specific, measurable action that will make everything else easier or unnecessary – for John, it was as simple as setting a recurring alarm clock. If you'd like us to be your accountability partner in getting

Many of you have reached out to tell us that you read The ONE Thing and you love the book... but you struggle to live the book. If this is you, it's okay – take yourself off the hook. We all start at the beginning of the journey. This episode will walk you through the four phases of the journey that we see people going through on the road to mastering their own time and help you identify the way forward.     The ONE Thing to Implement From This Episode: If you can walk away from this episode acknowledging which phase you are in on this journey, then you have already completed step one. Now ask yourself: What is the ONE thing I can do that will allow me to advance to the next phase of my journey? Get clarity, put it on your calendar, and take action. If you want to be part of a community of like-minded people who are living this journey with you, consider joining the Living Your ONE Thing community by going to the1thing.com/membership or texting the word “FOUNDER” to the number 33444.   In this

Are you taking daily action that contributes to your legacy? Today's guest, Lee Cockerell, is the former Executive Vice President of Operations for Walt Disney World Resorts. As a senior operating executive, he led a team of more than 40,000 cast members and left a legacy that includes the Disney Great Leaders Strategies, which has been used to train more than 7,000 leaders. In this episode, Lee shares how you can cast a vision, create a culture, and leave a lasting legacy on a massive scale. We recorded this conversation as part of our monthly ONE Thing webinar series. Every month, we feature an incredible author so that you can learn directly from them and ask questions. If you want to sign up for our next FREE monthly webinar, head over to the1thing.com/webinars.   The ONE Thing to Implement From This Episode: At the heart of this conversation is a message about personal accountability. You control how you show up in the world – do you think about the type of legacy you want to leave and are the actio

If you aren't building a database - if you aren't building a community to engage with your customers - your business is vulnerable. Our guest, Josh Dorkin, is Founder and CEO of BiggerPockets, the leading real estate investing community and media company. They help more than 750,000 members focus on networking, dealmaking, and education by fostering an active community, publishing books, and recording a weekly podcast. In this conversation, you will discover how Josh used principles from The ONE Thing to cast a big vision, think strategically, and build a business that offers long-term value.   The ONE Thing to Implement From This Episode: Block out one hour every day for strategic thinking - what are the things you absolutely must do to accomplish everything else? If you take the time to pause and then focus on your priorities, it will help your business more than completing every small task on your to-do list.   In this episode you will learn... [7:45] What it means to identify your core values an

We engage with fans like you because we know the transformational power of support and accountability. We want you to see that we are practice leaders – when we teach you something, we take action on it. Thank you for supporting us with your time so that we can continue to offer more value every week. That’s why we’re talking to Manny Torres, a fan like you, about how time blocking, daily action, and accountability will help you overcome distractions and make progress towards accomplishing your ONE thing.   The ONE Thing to Implement From This Episode: Open your calendar and block out some time in the next week. What's the ONE thing you can implement from this episode? Set the bar somewhere you know you can accomplish and recruit an accountability partner to help you get it done.   In this episode you will learn... [4:30] How you can turn goals into actions. [11:45] ONE simple time blocking practice that can help you make progress towards your goal. [20:30] Why you need to hold yourself accountable

Today we're answering questions asked by people just like you: fans of The ONE Thing who are trying to follow the road to mastery one step at a time. We understand that it's a long journey, and even we stumble sometimes. That's why we're sharing this keynote designed to help you wake up, every day, with the intention of getting just a little bit better at your ONE thing.     The ONE Thing to Implement From This Episode: What is a single thing you can do to live your ONE thing with a little more intention so that you can get slightly better results every day? If you can continue to get slightly better results day after day after day, then you are on the trajectory to live an extraordinary life.   In this episode you will learn... [6:10] Why you are accountable for the distractions in your life (and how you can shut them out). [18:00] Why most people aren't successful. [21:50] Why giving yourself permission to fail in the short-term will help you succeed in the long term. [26:00] How you can set

Are you spending too much time working in pursuit of freedom? We can't work more hours in the day and have a more flexible lifestyle – something else has to change. Today's guest, Gene Rivers, understands how anyone can achieve the work-life balance they deserve. He and his wife run nine successful businesses while still finding time to vacation four months out of the year and devote time to their family every day. In this episode, Gene will teach you how you can get anything you want if you're intentional with your time and willing to focus on the most important work.   The ONE Thing to Implement From This Episode: If you aren't where you want to be, or have hit a ceiling, you need accountability. Who is the mentor, coach, or consultant that you can go to for help? If you don't have someone, seek them out. Wanting to change won't make you change – someone holding you accountable to change might.   In this episode you will learn... [4:40] How you can create your ideal life with this ONE mindset shif

We've heard a lot of you reach out and ask a simple question: How do I find a mentor? Most of us realize that we can live a richer life by upgrading the five people we spend the most time with, but first, we need guidance from people who have already achieved what we want to achieve. We were honored to have Geoff Woods featured on the Access to Anyone podcast with Michael Schein & Michael Roderick, and the episode was so valuable that we wanted to share it with you. This conversation will help you build real relationships, improve your networking, and find a mentor that will help you achieve more.   The ONE Thing to Implement From This Episode: Today, in just one interaction, approach someone with the intention of being more interested in them than trying to get them to think you're interesting. Can you approach them with a sincere and genuine curiosity about where they need help, and if you can help them? You may be surprised by the reaction.   In this episode you will learn... [5:50] How you c

Do you ever feel like you work so hard and so long that you don't have time for your health, family, or spiritual practice?  You know that this pace will lead to burnout... but saying no and putting yourself before anything else can feel like a huge challenge.  Tammy Duncan, like many of us, struggles with being a workaholic every day. In this episode, we teach workaholics to say no, put themselves first, and take back some free time.   The ONE Thing to Implement From This Episode: What's ONE thing that you can take from this episode today? Most of us struggle, every single day, with showing up at our best, succeeding through others, delegating tasks, setting boundaries, or communicating expectations... but we can change that by taking small steps. Take a commitment to taking action. Listening to the podcast is great, but backing it with action is when you get results, value, and become part of a legacy.   In this episode you will learn... [10:20] How you can achieve the highest form of su

What would happen if, at the stroke of midnight, your financial resources completely went away? If you don't like the answer, you need work on creating passive income. Today's guest, Linda McKissack, is the Queen of Passive Income. She will help you understand more about building wealth that isn't dependent on your day job, your time, or the economy.   The ONE Thing to Implement From This Episode: You invest your most valuable resource - your time - when you listen to this podcast. Will you guarantee yourself a return on investment by backing it with action? Block out some time in your schedule for the next week and ask yourself: What do I really want? What is my freedom number? Will I choose to master a business that is guaranteed to generate wealth, like stocks or real estate? What is the ONE thing you can do that will make progress in that area easier or unnecessary?   In this episode you will learn... [3:55] Why you need more than good cash flow to generate lasting wealth. [8:45] Why 54% of peop

Many of you have read The ONE Thing... but have you ever given yourself permission to take a step back and consider what it means to live the book?  Today's guest, Matt Johnson, understands the power of taking action after reading The ONE Thing. He picked up a copy of the book in an airport and, ultimately, used it to bring more purpose, priority, and time into his business.  We originally recorded this conversation for Matt's LIFE On Target podcast. It was so valuable that we needed to share it with you, too.     The ONE Thing to Implement From This Episode: In this episode, we talked a lot about multitasking, focus, priority, and other essential elements of The ONE Thing. Now we want to know what most resonated with you. Step 1: Write down the answer to this question: What is the ONE thing from this episode that will allow you to live the book with more intention and get more time in your day?  Step 2: Tell us what you are going to do. Go to Facebook.com/theonethingbook, click the "

Do you struggle to control your time? Today's guest, Craig Ballantyne, is an expert on the habits and routines that successful people use to accomplish their top priorities and stop wasting time.   He is on the show to reveal the BIG mistake that most people are making in their morning routine and share how you can avoid it with just three simple steps.   The ONE Thing to Implement From This Episode: How can you reset the bar for success to a level that you know you can achieve, day after day, so that you can build up momentum and line up your dominoes? Ask yourself a simple question: Where do I want to improve? Then ask yourself a focusing question: What is the ONE thing I can do that will make everything else easier or unnecessary? Only commit to doing what you can definitely do. If that means focusing on your priority for just 15 minutes every morning, then that's a great place to start. By the end of a year, that will add up to 72 hours focusing on your top priority.   In this episode you w

Are you struggling to upgrade your five?  A lot of us understand why we need to upgrade our five, but we don't understand how. Today we're talking to one of you, Jeff Nigh, about the consistent daily actions that make every other part of upgrading your five easier or unnecessary.   The ONE Thing to Implement From This Episode: If you want to upgrade your five and you don't know how, this is a great place to start.   Step 1: Ask yourself the question, "Where do I need help most right now?" Consider The Seven Circles - spiritual, physical health, personal life, relationships, job, business, and finance - and pick just one. Step 2: Get clear about who you need to meet. Describe the person who can best guide you in the area that you identified in step one, in just one sentence.  Step 3: Set a goal of sharing that sentence with someone at least once a day. Hold yourself accountable by downloading our free 66-day calendar and starting a 66-Day Challenge.   In this episode you will learn...

Do you ever feel like you can't find the right balance between work, family, and yourself? You're not alone. There's so much that we need to do in a day and, when we try to narrow our focus to one thing, we can feel guilty about neglecting something else.  Sophie Kendall, a mother of two and a health and fitness coach, is all too familiar with this guilt... but she learned how to gain control of her life – and you can too.   The ONE Thing to Implement From This Episode: If you're struggling with guilt due to where you are focusing your time, we encourage you to start a 66-Day Challenge and block out time to focus on yourself. Set aside a few minutes to meditate, exercise, or do whatever focusing on yourself means to you. If you take care of yourself first, that will make taking care of everything else easier or unnecessary.   In this episode you will learn... [4:05] Why you can't help other people if you don't help yourself first. [13:15] Why your purpose can be surprisingly simple. [26:15] Wha

Do you want more grit?  Today's guest, Angela Duckworth, is a world-renowned psychologist and author of the New York Times Bestseller GRIT: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. She has advised the White House, The World Bank, NFL teams, Fortune 500 CEOs... and now she's going to help YOU get grittier, cast a focused vision, and understand the psychology of high achievers. We recorded this conversation as part of our monthly ONE Thing webinar series. Every month, we feature an incredible author so that you can learn directly from them and ask questions. If you want to sign up for our next FREE monthly webinar, head over to the1thing.com/webinars.   The ONE Thing to Implement From This Episode: If you want more grit, casting a focused vision is the ONE thing that will make everything else easier or unnecessary. We challenge you to articulate your vision and share it with us.   In 25 words or less, write down why you are here and what all of this is for. If you want guidance, Angela shares her v

Is stress hurting your performance at work or home? We all deal with stressful situations, but high achievers understand how to get beyond them and avoid getting burnt out. In the last episode, we met Dana Cavalea, who was the Director of Strength and Conditioning for the New York Yankees when they won the 2009 World Series. Today he will share how professional athletes and high achievers use simple strategies to maximize their performance in the long-term.   The ONE Thing to Implement From This Episode: Are you struggling with something so much that it occupies your mind when you should be present somewhere else?  If you want to change the way you perceive that thing, then you need to change the story you tell yourself. Identify the meaning you associate with that particular situation in your life and consider how you can rewrite that story. Can you recognize, right now, that the situation is a growth opportunity?   In this episode you will learn... [10:25] Why you sometimes have to hit the br

What does it mean to have focus at a professional level? Dana Cavalea was the Director of Strength and Conditioning for the New York Yankees when they won the 2009 World Series, and he has worked directly with some of the greatest baseball players in the world. In this episode, he shares how professional athletes - and high achievers like you - can live a life of greater focus.     The ONE Thing to Implement From This Episode: High performers live and die by their routine. We often look towards others to create our routine, but the greatest players develop one that is right for them through years of experience. We want you to create a routine that is healthy for you. What are the things that need to happen for you to have an exceptional day?   In this episode you will learn... [10:20] How the elite separate themselves from everyone else (and how you can too). [11:00] What the best athletes have in common. [13:15] How business owners can perform like a Hall of Famer & succeed in the long-ter

Do you ever struggle to think bigger? We've been getting on the phone with fans like you because we want to know the biggest challenges that you are facing.  We're sharing one of those calls because it helped us think bigger about helping you. In today's episode, Michael Cappelli helps us understand how we can better teach and support serious, engaged, and committed business owners who want to create the right habits, and then scale it down to the team level.     The ONE Thing to Implement From This Episode: We are investing our most valuable resource – our time – in fans like you because we want to expand our minds so that, together, we can create something truly exceptional. How can we, collectively, create something that will change how people think for generations to come? If you want to be a part of that, we are very interested in hearing from you. Please leave us a comment on our Facebook page. If you're interested in the membership platform we are creating, text the word "FOUNDER" to 334

Do you know the story of your business? We realized that we didn't know our story, or how to communicate it with all of you. That's why we had this conversation with the Story Coach, Lisa Bloom. This isn't our typical podcast episode. It is a private conversation that had an enormous impact on our business, so we want to share it with you. Lisa will help you find the things that matter, establish the pivotal moments of your story, and get clarity when it comes to communicating your story with other people.   The ONE Thing to Implement From This Episode: Establish the three pivotal moments in your business so that you can find your Core Story. You don't want to look at the big moments, like hiring or new product launches. You want to find the little moments that, looking back, shifted something inside of you. After you hone in on those pivotal moments, you will have all the information you need to clarify your Core Story.   In this episode you will learn... [3:55] Why your story matters & what a