Inspiration and Life

A Simple Secret to Success

You can change your life forever

Do you want to know the secret the most successful and significant people in the world have known for centuries? Although it should be obvious, most are blind to it. Is your interest piqued? Read on to learn how you can immediately begin using this simple secret in your life.

The secret

It is true. This secret is real and is not hyperbole. It provides a lens through which you can focus on accomplishing anything you want in life.

There is a good likelihood you are already aware of this secret, but being aware and putting it into action are entirely different things.

The secret is this — you can do one thing very well when you make it your focus and put all your effort into it. When you dilute your effort and energy by spreading it between two things, you may come up short on one or both. Distributing your effort and energy between three or more things leads to — well, you get the picture.

“Multitasking is merely the opportunity to screw up more than one thing at a time.” Gary W. Keller (1957-present)

Going after the one thing you want is usually not a simple choice, especially in today’s culture and society. Yet your results from focusing on one thing can produce a massive return as it has for the many who practice it.

Yet life doesn’t always cooperate when you’re trying to focus. You often find yourself with more than one urgent task, plus email, drop-ins, office chat, meetings, and on and on. How do you deal with these?

“The real achiever does one thing at a time.” Peter Drucker (1909–2005)

Where did the day go?

Have you ever wondered where the day went, feeling like you accomplished nothing? This seems to be the new normal for too many of us. I used to come into the office on Saturdays because it was the only time I could focus and get something done. Why? Because no one was there to interrupt. No phones to answer, no people to talk to, just me and silence. I often got more done in a few hours on Saturday than I could in an entire week!

The problem with working Saturdays was the cost. I did it at the expense of spending time with my family. Was it worth it? Is it ever worth it? My answer is an emphatic no!

Think of how much you accomplish when you focus on one thing, even for a short, concentrated time, with no other obligations and absolutely zero distractions.

You can’t learn to play an instrument very well if you don’t focus on it. If it’s true that to become an expert on something, you must spend 10,000 hours doing or studying it — well, that’s a lot of effort in one direction!

During a typical year, you spend about 2,000 hours at work if you work forty hours a week, fifty weeks a year. What are you becoming an expert at in exchange for that huge outlay of your time? I’ll let you think on that one for a bit.

Ask yourself, “What do I really want in life?” Considering the mortality rate on earth continues to stand at 100 percent, what is it that will make you thankful for how you lived your life?

Imagine discovering that one thing that matters most to you. You could point your life journey in that direction, rather than aimlessly wandering, chasing whatever, hoping for the best. What could you achieve? What indeed!

“It is those who concentrate on but one thing at a time who advance in this world” Og Mandino (1923–1996)

Wandering or wondering?

Wandering in the wrong direction takes up your most precious resource — time. Instead of wandering, why not start wondering about your future? Find a direction and move forward intentionally and purposely toward what will enrich your life. Deliberately make the best use of the precious limited resource of time. Isn’t that what you want? How can you do that if you are chasing so many other things?

Here is another secret to moving forward and creating more significance in life. Most people are looking for someone they can get behind. If you have discovered what makes life truly meaningful and have a strong enough purpose, focus on that one thing, and others will want to help you. They will get behind you and follow you, and the impact you make while on this earth, both now and after you leave, will be far greater.

Who follows someone with no clear direction and purpose in life, wandering around aimlessly day to day? Sure, some may. But do you want to be responsible for that?

What about those such as your spouse and children? Do they see you and your life and want to follow your example? Wow. This is heavy stuff, isn’t it? And it is reality.

All of us — especially those in leadership — have a serious responsibility to others. How we live our lives, who we are, and who we are becoming affects others — whether we want it to or not.

What we do and don’t do, the direction we travel, the words we write and say — impact them. We have a responsibility to be purposeful about these things. You reduce your purpose and meaning by attempting to do too many things at once and allowing distractions. The hard truth of it is, it is being irresponsible!

“Be like a postage stamp. Stick to one thing until you get there.” Josh Billings (1818–1885)

Finding your one thing

What is the one thing you can focus your life on that will make the most significant difference in what you do, who you are, and who you’re becoming? Be real when you ask yourself this. See reality for what it is. This is not as easy as it sounds. As Robert Fritz once said, “Reality is an acquired taste.” To not see reality is to either remain ignorant or to lie to yourself. Which do you prefer -reality or fantasy?

“Do not many of us who fail to achieve big things … fail because we lack concentration — the art of concentrating the mind on the thing to be done at the proper time and to the exclusion of everything else?” John D. Rockefeller (1839–1937)

Let’s look at a few examples of people who clearly knew their one thing in their own words.

Thomas Edison, the prolific inventor, once stated:

“My desire is to do everything within my power to further free the people from drudgery and create the largest possible measures of happiness and prosperity.” Thomas Edison (1847–1931)

Mother Teresa, who touched not just the lives of the people of Calcutta, India, but around the globe, said”

“Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.” Mother Teresa (1910–1997)

Billy Graham preached to live audiences of more than 210 million people in 185 countries, with an estimated lifetime audience, including radio and television broadcasts topping 2.2 billion people! Graham was a friend to many celebrities and presidents — and was chosen as one of the ten most-admired men in the world a record-breaking fifty-nine times in the Gallop poll. He once said:

“My calling is to preach the love of God and the forgiveness of God and the fact that He does forgive us. That’s what the cross is all about, what the resurrection is all about, that’s the gospel.” Billy Graham (1918–2018)

Abraham Lincoln, our country’s sixteenth President, expressed his one thing stating:

“I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to what light I have. I must stand with anybody that stands right, and stand with him while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong.” Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865)

The above people knew their one thing, were highly successful and made a significant impact on the world. It is interesting that each of these well-known people chose underlying principles for their lives rather than material goals. Once you find your one thing, align everything you do to it. Use the one thing as your aiming point. Whatever you do, do it to move toward that one thing.

Carefully consider and eliminate anything that moves you away from your goal or throws you off your trajectory. Your journey will be one step at a time, but you must try to take each step in the right direction. Taking one step left, right, or backward increases the amount of time it will cost you to get to your goal. Missteps use up that most precious and valuable resource: your time.

Now, this may sound contradictory, but guess what? You will find you may continue to refine your one thing over time. It might even change! Then again, it might not. But be open to the idea that what you find as your one thing today might evolve into something else over time.

The key here is that simply finding your one thing now will define your path, which may be very different than the one you have been on so far.

Try the following exercise

A great way to find your one thing is through journaling. Take a few minutes of quiet time and ask yourself, “What is my one thing?” Repeat this for 30 days, putting no pressure on yourself for an answer. Simply write what comes to mind. I bet before you finish the 30 days, you will not only find the answer, but you will know it deep inside your being. Give it a try, and you will be pleasantly surprised by the results!

“Successful people know they need to get many things done and done effectively. Therefore, they concentrate their time and energy on doing one thing at a time and on doing first things first.” Peter Drucker (1909–2005)

Final Thoughts

Knowing what truly matters to you will shape how you see things, allowing you to have a clearer vision. It will provide direction for your questions, thoughts, and actions.

When you focus intensely on what really matters, your results will be proportionate. Life will have purpose and become more meaningful. Without the one thing in your vision and heart, you lose time, which is to lose life.

Don’t let your passion or time slip through your fingers. Keep searching for your one thing until you know what it is and pursue it passionately. Your rewards will be great!

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Bill Abbate Leadership Writer and Editor in ILLUMINATION

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