Some of the most powerful things are simple, elegant and pure. Recently I was reminded of a powerful, but simple question posed by Gary Keller in his Wall Street Journal bestselling book “The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results.” Keller cofounded Keller Williams Realty in 1983 and grew the company into the largest real estate company in North America today. When highly successful business owners have something to say, I listen and learn from them.
“Behind every successful person is their ONE Thing,” Keller writes. “No matter how success is measured, personal or professional, only the ability to dismiss distractions and concentrate on your ONE Thing stands between you and your goals. The ONE Thing is about getting extraordinary results in every situation.”
The ONE Thing question is highly appropriate at the beginning of a new year. Here it is:
What’s the ONE Thing you can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?
In my consulting work, I’ve seen firsthand the power of the use of this question in various forms. The clarity produced by such an elegant question is unparalleled. It cuts to the chase and produces an actionable result. This is what makes it so powerful.
So, the obvious question is, “What is your ONE Thing for 2014?” I couldn’t think of a better question to be asking yourself—or your team—early in the year to bring about clarity, unity and direction. My team and I are meeting in January to discuss our ONE Thing, although we prefer to use the phrase “thematic goal.”
If you can’t quickly answer the ONE Thing question, I strongly recommend taking a few quiet minutes to consider this question or to schedule some time with your team to tackle this question. You will be glad you did.
