One thing

I recently picked up Gary Keller’s “The One Thing” and was struck by a powerful insight into what sets successful people apart. It’s not their ability to do more or even their choice of what to focus on – it’s their willingness to go all-in on just one thing, even at the cost of everything else. This runs counter to how most of us operate, trying to maintain balance and juggle multiple priorities. But Keller suggests that extraordinary success comes from this deliberate imbalance, this conscious choice to let other things slide while pouring yourself completely into your one chosen priority.

Here’s a quote worthy of staying rent free in your head

“What’s the ONE Thing I can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?”

Deep Work

In his book “Deep Work,” Cal Newport presents a compelling argument for the power of focused, uninterrupted work in a world increasingly dominated by shallow distractions. He argues that the ability to concentrate intensely on cognitively demanding tasks is becoming both increasingly valuable and increasingly rare. Newport doesn’t just theorize; he provides a practical framework for cultivating this skill, advocating for strict routines, embracing boredom, and deliberately cutting out the digital noise that fragments our attention.

The book’s central premise is that deep work isn’t just a productivity tool—it’s a pathway to a more meaningful and satisfying professional life.

Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Perseverance

The distance between you and Elon Musk isn’t talent, connections, or even luck – it’s raw, relentless perseverance. While most of us stop at roadblocks, pivot at setbacks, or rest at small wins, Musk embodies a different breed of persistence. Through near-bankruptcy at Tesla and SpaceX, through public ridicule and technical failures, he kept pushing. We often see the end result – the successful launches, the revolutionary cars, the astronomical net worth – but miss the countless nights, the brutal iterations, and the sheer unwillingness to accept defeat.

The truth is uncomfortably simple: extraordinary success isn’t about having extraordinary starting points, it’s about being extraordinarily stubborn about your goals.

---

The thread connecting these ideas is striking: whether it’s Keller’s singular focus, Newport’s deep work, or Musk’s perseverance – they all point to the power of going all-in on what truly matters. It’s not about working harder on everything, but about choosing your “one thing” and pursuing it with unrelenting focus and persistence.

Until next week, Dhruv

P.S. What’s your “one thing” this week? I’d love to hear about it – just hit reply.