The Power of Doing One Thing

The Myth of Multitasking

We live in an age of infinite distraction. Every notification, every new opportunity, every "urgent" request pulls us in different directions.

The result? We do many things poorly instead of one thing excellently.

What Focus Really Means

Focus isn't just about avoiding distractions. It's about making a deliberate choice about what matters most and ruthlessly protecting your attention for that thing.

This applies at every level:

• Daily focus - What's the ONE task that will make today successful?
• Weekly focus - What's the ONE project that deserves most of your energy?
• Yearly focus - What's the ONE goal that will define this year?

The Math of Focus

Let's do some simple math:

Scenario A: Splitting attention

• 4 projects at 25% each
• Context switching costs ~20% productivity
• Effective output: ~20% per project

Scenario B: Serial focus

• 1 project at 100% for 3 months
• Minimal context switching
• Effective output: ~90% per project

The focused approach delivers 4-5x more value per project.

How to Choose Your One Thing

Choosing what to focus on is harder than actually focusing. Here's my framework:

Impact Assessment

Ask: "If I could only accomplish one thing this quarter, what would create the most value?"

Leverage Check

Ask: "What's the one thing that makes everything else easier or unnecessary?"

Energy Audit

Ask: "What am I uniquely capable of contributing that no one else can?"

The intersection of these three questions is your focus area.

Protecting Your Focus

Once you've chosen, you need to defend it:

1. Block time ruthlessly - Schedule focus blocks and treat them as sacred
2. Create friction - Make distractions harder to access
3. Communicate clearly - Tell others what you're focusing on (and what you're not)
4. Review weekly - Audit how you actually spent your time vs. intended

The Focus Paradox

Here's the counterintuitive truth: focusing on less helps you achieve more.

When you go all-in on one thing:

• You learn faster (deeper practice)
• You build momentum (compounding progress)
• You become known for something (reputation effects)
• You make better decisions (clearer criteria)

Start Today

Right now, write down the ONE thing that deserves your focus for the next 90 days.

Everything else is a distraction.

Not forever—just for now. You can always choose a new focus later. But you can't focus on everything at once.

The question isn't "What should I do?" It's "What should I do first?"

Answer that, and you're already ahead of 90% of people who never choose at all.