It's common to believe that working harder guarantees success. Yet, many find themselves stuck despite great effort. This reality challenges our approach to productivity.
In the late 19th century, Frederick Winslow Taylor transformed work management by dissecting tasks for maximum efficiency, initiating Taylorism. While ideal for the industrial era, today's automation and robotization have rendered many repetitive tasks obsolete.
Today, creativity outweighs mere speed. What now makes the difference is focusing energy on what truly matters and innovating beyond the basics.
Ferran Adrià propelled his restaurant El Bulli to global fame by choosing exclusivity and top quality over expansion. His principle: concentrate on a handful of essentials and reach for excellence within this scope.
The premise is simple: to achieve more, focus on a singular true priority. Like the lumberjack striking at the same spot to bring down a tree, targeted effort yields exponential results.
Originally, priority meant only one thing. The modern pluralization dilutes the power of focus—the essence is lost when everything is important.
To determine your main focus, examine these three circles:
The intersection reveals where your impact is maximized.
Once your ‘one thing’ is clear, distractions are easier to dismiss and every action can align with your central vision—preserving what matters most.
There are:
Of all possible actions, which one would make the others redundant if completed? Whether at work, in relationships, or in learning, pinpointing this major task is the real lever for success.
List your potential priorities, then whittle the list down to just one. This process helps you fully embrace the practice of ‘less, but better.’
As Steve Jobs said, “I'm as proud of what we don't do as I am of what we do.” Choosing your ‘one thing’ is about actively excluding the rest to achieve meaningful progress. Now, it’s your turn!
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