The ONE Thing
Discover the surprisingly simple truth behind extraordinary results. Learn how the most successful people in the world approach productivity, time management, business, health and habits with The ONE Thing. A ProduKtive® Podcast.
Episodes
Stop Spending The Best Hour of Your Day on Email | Cyril Peupion | Ep. 579
You answer email faster than you did a year ago. The pile is still there tomorrow, now with Slack and WhatsApp too.
Your inbox is a battle you can't win, and you're paying for it with your sharpest hours.
Cyril Peupion, author of Less Achieves More, has spent 20 years teaching the busiest executives at companies like Microsoft and American Express how to get more done.
The usual response
Stop Trying to Find Your Purpose. Ask This Question Instead | Tom Rath | Ep. 578
StrengthsFinder 2.0 author Tom Rath on why the hunt for purpose makes people anxious, and the questions he asks instead. His new book is named after it: What's the Point?
You've been told to find your purpose since high school. You're still waiting for it to show up.
The word is the problem. Most of us hear it and tense up, as if purpose has to descend from the heavens on a sunny day every t
Before You Set New Goals, Decide What to Let Go Of
How to simplify your busy life before setting new goals.
You raised your hand for a committee years ago, and now it’s just draining time and energy every week. It’s out of alignment - and it’s almost goal-setting season.
That work project that seemed like a great idea at the time is still eating your week, and nothing new fits. Before you add another goal to the list, you have to pause and f
15 Truths for Business & Life: Inbox Zero, Hustle Culture & More
Winners never quit. Clear the inbox. Outwork everyone. You've followed rules like these for years without checking them.
Charlie Munger kept a latticework of mental models so he'd make better decisions. Jay Papasan keeps his own in a notes document he carries around. About 88 entries so far, written down so he's less likely to keep repeating the same mistakes.
You're most likely to hurt your
Why Your Business Feels Unpredictable (and how to fix it) w/ Jordan Freed
You work all day and your results still swing month to month.
One month you're unstoppable, the next the pipeline is empty and you can't understand why. Jordan Freed says your business has a first down: one repeatable action that makes everything after it predictable, and most of us have never named ours.
In this episode, Jay sits down with Jordan Freed - head coach at The ONE Thing and Jay'
Success Is Boring (and how to show up anyway)
You know what you should be doing every day. But most days you find a reason to make them tomorrow. Then the year ends looking exactly like the last one. Motivation was never going to carry you through work this boring. The people who show up every day set it up so that skipping costs them something.
Jay Papasan edited Mia Hamm's book at HarperCollins. The story that stuck with him had nothing
Ex-Google Leader: How to Actually Grow Into Your New Job Title - Shannon Anderson-Finch
If you've ever taken a new job or a new title and kept feeling like the old you, Shannon Anderson-Finch has a name for it: the gap between a change and a transition. Most people try to skip it.
Shannon spent 15 years at Google and Deloitte, where she was named Coach of the Year, before starting her own practice. She now coaches new VPs at a large retailer and a first-time hospital president thr
Type 2 Work, and The Hidden Cost of Convenience
We spend a lot of energy trying to make life faster, easier, and more convenient. But what might we lose when we remove too much of the hard?
Jay breaks down the “fun scale,” from Type One Fun that feels good in the moment to Type Two Fun that feels difficult while you’re doing it but becomes meaningful in retrospect. Then there’s Type Three Fun: hard experiences that never seem worth it.
Th
Building a Burnout-Proof Business with Mallory Rowan
Mallory Rowan was building a successful powerlifting apparel company, competing at a high level, and finishing university when her body finally forced her to stop. A routine doctor’s visit revealed that she had been living with pneumonia, but the warning signs had appeared long before: irritability, emotional exhaustion, unexplained health issues, and the growing feeling that she was no longer her
How Not to Know: The Science of Uncertainty with Simone Stolzoff
Simone Stolzoff, author of How to Not Know, joins Jay to explore why our search for certainty often leads us into three traps: comfort, hubris, and control. They discuss how replacing those instincts with growth, humility, and acceptance can help us move forward without having every answer.
Simone shares practical ways to build your tolerance for uncertainty, including introducing small doses o
You’ll Never Get On Top of Everything (And That’s Okay) with Oliver Burkeman
There is no such thing as the perfect productivity system. No matter how optimized your day is, or how many AI agents you have running 24/7, the harsh reality is that you’ll never truly be caught up. And that’s good news.
Oliver Burkeman wrote The Guardian's psychology column "This Column Will Change Your Life" for years before his four books on time and ambition. Four Thousand Weeks was an ins
Put Down The Business Book. Read Fiction Instead
Look at your bookshelf. Business books, biographies, the ones everyone said you had to read. Now be honest: how many did you finish?
Jay Papasan should be the last person making this case. He's spent 30 years in business books - first as an editor at HarperCollins, then as coauthor of multiple award winning & bestselling nonfiction books. And this week he's telling you to put the business books
The Science of Excellence: How To Master Your Craft, Passion vs. Obsession, The Myth of Balance, and More w/ Brad Stulberg
The version of success you’ve been sold is really just stress with better branding.
Brad Stulberg has spent 20 years researching and reporting on the top 1% in their field - Olympians, powerlifters, bestselling authors - and has written 5 books on what he’s learned, including Peak Performance and his newest, The Way of Excellence.
In this episode, you'll learn:
- Why work-life balance fails
How to Reinvent Yourself: A 4 Step Framework for Starting Over
Jay Papasan talks with Steve Kamb, founder of Nerd Fitness and author of How to Try Again, about what it takes to change course. Steve shares his PACT framework: Pause, Accept, Change, and Try, and explains why real change often feels messy before it feels clear.
Together, Jay and Steve explore identity shifts, false expectations, the myth of “normal,” and how small experiments can help you mov
A Deep Dive on Our Most Impactful Coaching Tool
Get The Someday Letter Worksheet: https://linkly.link/2ld7z
Most of us are comfortable setting annual goals. But what happens when you look 10 years into the future and let yourself dream without boundaries?
In this episode, Jay Papasan shares one of the most powerful tools used in The ONE Thing coaching program: the Someday Letter. It’s a simple but deeply clarifying exercise that asks you
Change Your Relationship with The Gap (In Business and in Life)
High achievers know the gap well: the space between where you are and where you want to be. It can drive growth, but it can also become a source of fear, avoidance, and self-judgment.
In this episode, Jay talks with five-time entrepreneur and executive coach Hannah Soto about the three ways business owners and high achievers often relate to the gap. They chase it, believing fulfillment lives on
Getting Unstuck: How to Fix the 3 Most Common Behaviors Holding High Achievers Back
You already know what to do. So why is it so hard to do it consistently?
In this episode, Jay Papasan breaks down three patterns that keep entrepreneurs and high achievers trapped in the gap between knowing and doing. First, we often think we’re clear when we’re really being general. Second, we chase new information instead of mastering the system we already have. Third, we let the 80% masquera
Social Accountability 101: How Peer Pressure Can Help You Achieve Your Goals
You know what to do. You start strong. You have the system, the motivation, and the goal. Then, a few months later, you’re right back where you started. What happened?
In this episode, Jay Papasan breaks down one of the biggest reasons high achievers struggle with consistency: they try to go it alone. The solution is social accountability. Not someone forcing you to follow through, but choosing t
How to Build Resilience (Before You Need It) With Valorie Burton
Resilience is often treated like a personality trait. You either have it or you don’t. But Valorie Burton sees it differently: Resilience is a personal system you can build before life demands it from you.
In this episode, Jay Papasan sits down with Valorie Burton, CEO of the Coaching and Positive Psychology Institute and author of Rules of Resilience, to unpack what it really takes to bounce b
The Isolation of High Achievers: Why All Entrepreneurs Feel Lonely (And How to Fix It)
High performers are often great at building businesses, serving clients, supporting families, and chasing big goals. But there’s one thing they tend to neglect: friendship.
In this episode, Jay shares the story of a lonely night in a Nashville hotel room that became a wake-up call. He realized he had been leaning on too few people and needed to intentionally rebuild his support system. With the
High-Stakes Communication: How to Negotiate Confidently, Ask Smarter Questions, and Build Influence with Phil Jones
Have you ever walked away from a conversation wishing you could go back and say it differently? According to Phil Jones, that doesn’t mean you have a communication problem. You may have a moment problem.
Phil, author of the bestselling book Exactly What to Say, joins Jay to talk about the word choices, principles, and preparation that help people show up better in high-stakes conversations. He
The Habit Lab: How to Build Consistency in Business & Life with Kim Zuroff
High achievers aren’t held back because they don’t know what to do. The challenge is always consistency. Habits are so powerful because they are automatic - and in this episode, you’ll learn how to harness the power of habit to help you hit your most elusive goals.
Today, Jay sits down with Kim Zuroff, Director of Growth and Executive Coach at The ONE Thing, to talk about the art and science of
Brand Building 101: Content Strategy, Storytelling, Positioning and More with Donald Miller
Entrepreneurs know they need to create content, build trust, and stay visible. The hard part is knowing what to say, how often to say it, and how to make sure your message actually leads people toward your business.
In this episode, Jay Papasan sits down with Donald Miller, author of StoryBrand, for a practical masterclass on brand building for entrepreneurs. Donald breaks down how to use conte
The Making of The ONE Thing: What We Cut From the Book (And Lessons We’d Add Today)
Before The ONE Thing became the bestselling book readers know today, it was a much bigger manuscript, more than 400 pages long. In this episode, Jay Papasan goes back to the final stretch before publication to unpack the hard decisions that shaped the book and made it stronger.
Jay shares the lessons behind what got cut, including the idea that low hanging fruit can be a distraction and how mai
The Psychology of Hope: A Blueprint for a More Hopeful Life with Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe
When the world feels heavy, hope can feel fragile, or even out of reach. In this episode, Jay sits down with award-winning behavioral psychologist Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe to unpack what hope really is and why it matters so much in difficult seasons.
Dr. Robyne explains that hope is not the same as optimism. Optimism is often tied to a specific outcome, while hope is the steady belief that no ma
Should Business Leaders Get Political? A Framework for Speaking Up
When something bad happens in the world, every business leader has a difficult decision to make - the decision to speak up, or to stay silent. In the past, silence was the safest option - today, that’s no longer the case. In such a chaotic world full of conflict, inequality, and political polarization, it’s never been more important to get this question right.
In this episode of The ONE Thing P
Why Talented People Go Unnoticed: Career Cheat Codes with Courtney Johnson
A lot of talented people assume that if they work hard enough, they’ll eventually get noticed. Courtney Johnson says that’s simply not how careers work.
In this episode, Jay sits down with Courtney, author of Career Cheat Codes, to unpack the unwritten rules that often separate people who get promoted, hired, and remembered from those who get overlooked. They explore how visibility, relationshi
How Billionaires Set Goals: A Step-by-Step Guide to Achieve Your Goals Using the 4-1-1
If you want to achieve real and sustainable success, you don’t need another productivity system - try this instead.
In this episode, Jay Papasan sits down with Director of Training Chris Dixon to unpack one of the most requested teachings in The ONE Thing community: the 411.
They explain why to-do lists, project management tools, and reactive planning often leave people busy but not truly pr
The Science Behind Sustained Success with Nir Eyal
What if the biggest thing holding you back isn’t your skills, your resources, or even your discipline—but your beliefs?
In this conversation, Jay sits down with Nir Eyal to unpack the hidden force behind motivation and persistence. While most people think success comes from knowing what to do, Nir makes a compelling case that the real driver is belief. If you don’t believe the effort will pay o
Don’t Waste Your Hardest Lessons: Julia Lashay’s 5 Principles of Unshakable Resilience
Content Warning: This episode includes discussion of the loss of a child and experiences of grief. It may be distressing for some listeners. Please listen with care and take the space you need.
Resilience isn’t something you’re born with. It’s something you build—often in the moments you’d never choose.
In this episode, Jay sits down with Julia Lashay to explore how adversity shapes leadersh
Giving Your Infinite Resources: A Shift In Perspective When The World Feels Heavy
When the world feels heavy, many of us fall into the same cycle: doom scrolling, numbing out, or waiting for things to improve
In this episode, Jay shares a powerful perspective shift inspired by a lesson from Mr. Rogers: instead of just looking for the helpers, as Mr. Rogers suggests - become one. Rather than waiting for change, we must act.
Jay breaks down the science behind action and emo
The Psychology of Sales: How to Close More Deals (Without Feeling Sales-y) with David Priemer
Jay sits down with research scientist-turned-entrepreneur David Priemer to do a deep dive into the proven science and psychology of sales.
In this conversation, David shares how curiosity - not charisma - became his competitive advantage, and the foundation of his newest business, Cerebral Selling. He breaks down the psychology behind buying decisions and explains why the best sales conversatio
Closing the Loop: The Science Behind Feeling Overwhelmed, And What to Do About It
If you feel like you have 30 browser tabs open in your brain, you’re not alone. Most business owners don’t have a capacity problem—they have a clarity problem.
In this episode, Jay Papasan unpacks the science behind overwhelm, including the Zeigarnik effect and additive bias, and explains why unfinished tasks drain your mental bandwidth. When you try to multitask your way out, you only slow eve
The ONE Thing Isn’t A Productivity Book
Most high performers think they have a productivity problem. They don’t. They have a purpose problem.
In this episode, Jay Papasan pulls back the curtain on what The ONE Thing has always been about. Yes, it lives in the productivity section of bookstores. Yes, it teaches focus. But at its core, it’s a purpose book.
Using the iceberg metaphor from the original book, Jay walks through the real
Amy Purdy, Paralympic Medalist: How to Turn Your Greatest Setback into Your Greatest Strength
At 19 years old, Amy Purdy went to work feeling a little run down. Within 24 hours, she was fighting for her life in the hospital. She beat the odds, and survived a life-threatening infection - but she would ultimately lose both legs below the knee as a result. What followed wasn’t a comeback story built on motivation posters. It was a masterclass in agency.
In this conversation, Amy walks Jay
Stop Ghosting Your Goals: How to Stay Committed to Your Future Success
Are you ghosting your goals? By February, most people have already given up on the goals they set in January. But what if the reason you keep ignoring your goals isn’t a lack of discipline, but a lack of relationship? In this episode, Jay Papasan invites you to stop “proposing” to your goals every January and start dating them regularly instead.
Jay breaks down why most goals fade by February a
Scaling Your Side-Gig: How Alex Hopes Turned a Passion Project into A Phenomenon
Most people don’t plan for a pivot that changes everything. For Alex Hopes, it started with a moment that stopped his life cold and rerouted it completely. What followed was a decade-long journey of saying yes to what was in front of him, even when it didn’t match the original plan.
In this episode, Jay Papasan talks with Alex, founder of Zilker Bark, about how a simple dog photography project
Rituals of Recovery: What Elite Athletes Can Teach Us About High Performance
Elite athletes don’t just train harder. They recover better. Between points, plays, and games, they use small, intentional rituals to reset their bodies and minds so they can perform again at a high level. In this episode, Jay Papasan makes the case that business owners and leaders need the same approach.
Inspired by a classic Harvard Business Review article, Jay breaks down the difference betw
Public Speaking 101: How Tristan de Montebello Mastered Public Speaking in 7 Months
Public speaking consistently ranks as one of our biggest fears, but what if the real issue isn’t technique at all? In this episode, Jay sits down with
Tristan de Montebello, co-founder of Ultraspeaking, to explore why confidence breaks down when we communicate and how to rebuild it from the inside out.
Tristan shares his rapid journey from beginner to finalist in the World Championship of Publ
Weathering The Storm: How to Stay Afloat when Life Won’t Let Up
How do you stay afloat when everything is falling apart? Life can - and will - hit you hard. And how can you lead others when you feel like you can’t lead yourself?
This week, Jay sits down for an interview with Tiffany Fykes and Sarah Reynolds from Empire Building, to share some of the deeply personal hardships he has navigated in the past several years, and opens up about what it really looks
We Studied 400 High Achievers for 4 Months - This is What We Learned
Big goals have a way of starting strong and slowly falling apart. Motivation fades. Life intervenes. Momentum stalls. In this episode, Jay Papasan shares what actually separates the people who follow through from those who stay stuck in restart mode.
After studying more than 400 entrepreneurs and business owners who went through The First Domino program, Jay distills their success into five repea
Permission to Pause: Reclaim Your Identity Outside of Work with Jen Davis
For years, Jen Davis did what high performers are taught to do. Say yes. Move faster. Carry more responsibility. Lead at a high level and keep pushing. From the outside, her career looked like the definition of success.
Then she was forced to pause. And that pause completely shifted her thinking. She had been running full speed ahead, without realizing the impact it was having on the things that
How to Take Action in 2026: 11 Lessons from Gary Keller, Morgan Housel, and Sahil Bloom
We’re closing out the year with a special highlight reel from some of Jay Papasan’s favorite conversations of 2025, all centered on two big themes: taking action and sustaining action.
On the “taking action” side, Jenny Wood reframes fear as a signal of agency, Pat Flynn walks us through his “DeLorean” future-casting exercise, and Sahil Bloom challenges us to let our calendars prove what truly ma
536. She Turned Her Personal Productivity Journal into a 7-Figure Business w/ Cathryn Lavery
So much of life runs on a “default” operating system—school, work, productivity tools, even your phone. But what happens when that default just doesn’t work for you?
In this episode, Jay Papasan sits down with BestSelf Co. founder Cathryn Lavery to talk about being diagnosed with ADHD at 31, realizing she was a “Mac forced to run PC software,” and how she began designing systems that actually mat
535. 10 Books That Changed My Life (And Why I Give Them Away)
Are you choosing the right book for the season you’re in—or just grabbing whatever looks interesting?
In this solo episode, Jay Papasan walks through the ten books he recommends and gifts more than any others. These are not simply his “favorites”—they’re the books that shaped his craft as a writer, helped him level up as an entrepreneur, grounded him in discipline, clarified his thinking about mo
534. The Surprising Science Behind Burnout (And How to Avoid It) w/ Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe
Do you ever feel like you’re doing everything “right”? Performing at a high level, meeting everyone’s expectations, carrying the load—and yet still feel yourself slowly wearing down?
It’s more common than you might realize—and there’s a way out.
Jay Papasan is joined by behavioral psychologist and bestselling author Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe to unpack why the people who look the strongest are ofte
533. Jay’s 5 Step Guide to High Impact Giving
We all want to make a difference — but how do you start giving when life already feels full?
In this solo episode, Jay Papasan shares his personal “5 Step Giving Framework,” a simple and strategic way to turn good intentions into consistent action. Drawing from research, experience, and years of purposeful practice with his wife, Wendy, Jay outlines how gratitude, time, money, leadership, and wea
532. It’s Never The Right Time
How many times have you said, “It’s not the right time”? Whether it’s starting a new business, writing your book, or making a big life change, we all fall into the trap of waiting for perfect timing. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t exist.
In this episode, Jay Papasan shares a personal story about finally deciding to adopt a second dog — and how that simple decision revealed a deeper truth about action,
531. NO-vember Special: How to Say No Without Saying No
Every November, Jay Papasan dedicates time to exploring one of the most powerful productivity tools you have—the ability to say no. This year's "No-vember Special" dives deep into 11 different ways to protect your time, energy, and focus, often without ever saying the word "no."
From Steve Jobs' legendary turnaround at Apple to simple scripts you can use in daily life, Jay explains why saying no
530. Turn Your Ideas into Action in 5 Simple Steps
Every year, Americans spend more than $100 billion on education—books, courses, conferences, and training—and research shows that less than 20% ever do anything with what they learn. That means roughly $80 billion of potential goes unrealized every year. This episode is about joining the 20% who act.
Jay Papasan walks you through the T.I.P.P.S. framework—a simple process he’s taught for years to
529. Your Calendar Is Your Scorecard - Are You Winning or Losing? With Sahil Bloom
When Gary and Jay wrote The ONE Thing, they defined success as “getting what you want.” But most of us chase goals we didn’t truly choose. In this episode, author and creator Sahil Bloom shares how he reset his scorecard, left a lucrative path, and built a life aligned with his values—starting with time.
Sahil explains why the worst distractions often look like great opportunities, and how to run
528. The 5 Permission Slips Every High Achiever Needs
Are you constantly trying to please everyone—and still ending up exhausted and unfulfilled?
This week, Jay shares the five permission slips every high achiever needs to hear. From setting healthy boundaries to redefining what success looks like, Jay walks you through how to release perfectionism, protect your energy, and rebuild self-trust. You’ll learn how to give yourself permission to disapp
527. The 100 Best Books for Work and Life
Are you overwhelmed by the sheer number of business and self-help books out there? With more than 40,000 titles published every year, it's impossible to read them all — and most of us don't have the time to waste on the wrong ones. The real challenge is knowing which books will actually help you grow, both personally and professionally.
That's why Jay Papasan sits down with Todd Sattersten, publi
526. The High Achiever’s Paradox
Success expands everything—opportunities, decisions, people, and complexity. Jay calls this the High Achiever’s Paradox: as the pie gets bigger, chronic problems compound. Drawing on coaching transcripts and discovery calls, he spotlights three patterns that get harder with success: (1) honoring time blocks amid constant interruptions, (2) delegating instead of clinging to your competency, and (3)
525. The Art of Spending Money (And Why Most of Us Get It Wrong) with Morgan Housel
Morgan Housel is back on the show to talk about his newest book, The Art of Spending Money. You know him from The Psychology of Money and Same As Ever. This time, we dive into what happens after you’ve earned the money—how to actually use it well.
Morgan makes the case that money can buy comfort and independence, but not love, health, or meaning. Because it’s easy to measure, many of us fall into
524. How Winners Quit: The 3-Step Strategic Quitting Framework
In this solo episode, Jay revisits a formative moment from middle school that turned “never quit” into his lifelong badge of honor—and how that same belief later became an Achilles heel. Perseverance helped him finish books, build businesses, and do hard things. But persistence misapplied can steal time from our future selves. Jay unpacks why winners actually quit—on purpose—and how sunk costs, lo
523. Create Your Village (Even in a “Me” Culture) with Liz Bohannon
If you’ve ever chased big goals and felt oddly alone while doing it, this one’s for you. Liz Bohannon—founder of Sseko Designs (now part of Noonday Collection) and author of Beginner’s Pluck—makes a compelling case that the connection we crave lives on the far side of our fear of rejection. She shares her RICH framework for social health: Initiative, Rhythms, Communication and Conflict, and Help.
522. From Burnout to Joy: Sarah Reynolds on Health, Family, and Leadership
What if the path out of overwhelm starts with a glass of water? In this conversation, Sarah Reynolds—co-founder of Empower Home—shares how building one small keystone habit led her to lose 110 pounds and rebuild her energy. She explains how focusing on hydration, then adding practices like intermittent fasting, helped her replace perfectionism with progress and even shift the culture of health on
521. Build a Business That Won’t Burn You Out with Chris Ducker
Hustle can help you finish a launch, but it can’t be your lifestyle. In this episode, Jay and Chris dig into what it really means to lead for the long haul: trading glorified exhaustion for intentional sustainability. Chris shares his 2021 brush with burnout—and the hard reset that followed—making the case that energy, not time, is a leader’s most valuable asset. Together, they explore where to st
520. Addicted to Busyness? The Science, the Symptoms, and the Cure
There’s a reason rest feels like stress when you’re hooked on hustle. Jay unpacks why so many high achievers get trapped in a cycle of motion over progress—how the Zeigarnik effect and our dopamine bias for fast wins pull us toward low-value tasks—and what it costs us in value, time, and morale. He then gets tactical: how to own the problem, say “no” more often, and swap performative work for prio
519. 6 Self-Sabotage Habits That Kill Your Progress (And How to Break Them)
What if the biggest thing standing between you and your goals isn’t the economy, the competition, or even your circumstances—it’s you? In this solo episode, Jay Papasan shares six common patterns of self-sabotage uncovered from hundreds of coaching participants and offers simple, actionable ways to break them.
From procrastination and avoidance to people-pleasing, poor boundaries, and constant di
518. How to Find Your Million-Dollar Product with Sam Vander Wielen
Most people think the market is too crowded to stand out, but Sam Vander Wielen proves otherwise. After leaving a legal career she hated, Sam faced enormous personal and professional challenges, yet built an eight-figure business selling legal templates online. Her secret? Embracing authenticity—sharing her real story, letting her brand reflect her true self, and doing the unglamorous work of list
517. How This Couple Transformed Their Marriage, Career & Life with The ONE Thing
Before discovering The ONE Thing, Mauricio and Christine were stuck in survival mode—juggling kids, work, and the chaos of daily life. Everything changed when a copy of The ONE Thing landed on Mauricio’s desk. What started as reluctant curiosity grew into a shared commitment: they embraced the 411 and time-blocking, turning scattered days into intentional progress.
By having weekly conversations
516. The 10 BOLD Truths for Building an Amazing Life with Gary Keller
This week, we’re doing something special. I’m bringing you a live keynote from none other than Gary Keller, where he shares what he calls the “10 Bold Truths”—a collection of powerful ideas designed to help you build an extraordinary life. These truths are the backbone of our BOLD training at Keller Williams, and they align beautifully with the principles behind The ONE Thing.
From mindset and fo
515. The Way: 5 Principles That Create Extraordinary Results with Gary Keller
What does it really take to live your best life? This week, we’re joined by Gary Keller for part one of a special two-part conversation about “The Way”—five powerful concepts for leveling up, drawn from the newly rewritten Bold course.
Gary and I walk through each idea, starting with the Misogi Challenge: setting a focused, time-limited challenge that pushes you beyond your comfort zone and trans
514. Why Smart People Stay Stuck in "Getting Ready" Mode with Pat Flynn
If you love learning but find yourself stuck in preparation mode, this episode is for you.
I sit down with Pat Flynn—entrepreneur, host of Smart Passive Income, and author of Lean Learning—to talk about why consuming more information doesn’t always lead to better results. Pat shares how learning can become a form of procrastination, why we fall into the trap of information overload, and how to br
513. The Mid-Year RESET: How to Course-Correct Your 2025 Goals Before It's Too Late
Can you believe we’re already halfway through 2025? If you’re like me, you’ve probably had your head down, working hard, only to look up and wonder where the year went. It’s normal to drift away from your original goals or even forget them entirely by this point in the year. Life gets complex, priorities shift, and sometimes what mattered in January doesn’t feel as urgent now. The good news? It’s
512. Stuck Building Your Personal Brand? Here's How to Break Through with Rory Vaden
What happens when everything you’ve built suddenly disappears? In this episode, Jay Papasan sits down with Rory Vaden—someone who knows what it’s like to lose everything and rebuild from scratch. After Rory and his wife, AJ, were forced out of the business they’d spent 12 years building, they had to start over with nothing but a non-compete, their expertise, and a lot of hard-won lessons.
That pa
511. How to 6X Your Goals Using The ONE Thing with Brandon Turner
When The ONE Thing first came out, Brandon Turner didn’t just read it—he made it his only book for an entire year, reading it cover to cover more than 20 times. The result? He didn’t just hit his audacious goal of acquiring $50 million in real estate in three years—he soared past it, buying $300 million worth.
In this episode, Brandon pulls back the curtain on exactly how he did it. We talk about
510. 7 Recession-Proof Strategies for Building Wealth in a Down Market
We spend a lot of time worrying about uncertainty—tariffs, market volatility, the looming threat of a recession. But what if these aren’t just obstacles, but some of the greatest opportunities for your business or career? History shows that recessions often create more millionaires than any other time and open the door for companies to leap ahead.
In this episode, I break down the seven strategie
509. The ADHD Advantage: How Neurodivergent Entrepreneurs Outperform with Tyler Elstrom
If you’ve ever struggled to get started, finish what you begin, or felt like your brain just doesn’t operate like everyone else’s—you’re not alone. Jay sits down with ADHD coach and entrepreneur Tyler Elstrom to unpack what’s really going on in the ADHD brain, from dopamine regulation to executive function to emotional overwhelm.
Tyler introduces the “INCUP” framework—five triggers that can help
508. 5 Strategies to Beat Quality Inflation and Stay Ahead
Are you succeeding so slowly you think you're failing—or failing so slowly you think you're succeeding?”
In this solo episode, Jay Papasan introduces the concept of quality inflation: the idea that the standards for average—and especially extraordinary—performance keep rising every year. Drawing inspiration from the Red Queen Hypothesis and his experience coaching high achievers, Jay breaks dow
507. Unlocking Wild Courage: How to Turn “Negative” Traits Into Superpowers with Jenny Wood
What if the very traits you’ve been told to hide are actually your greatest assets? This week, I’m joined by Jenny Wood, former Google executive and author of Wild Courage: Go After What You Want and Get It, to explore nine provocative traits—like being weird, selfish, nosy, shameless, or even brutal—and how to use them as superpowers.
Jenny shares how embracing qualities like “shameless” self-ad
506. Transformational Leadership Principles Hidden in Dr. Becky’s Parenting Book (Part 2)
This episode wraps up our two-part series on what leadership lessons we can learn from parenting expert Dr. Becky Kennedy, author of Good Inside. If you caught part one, you know these lessons aren't just for parents—they’re tools for anyone who wants to show up better in their relationships and at work.
We dive into the last three lessons Jay took from Dr. Becky’s work: The Power of Repair, Re
505. Transformational Leadership Principles Hidden in Dr. Becky’s Parenting Book (Part 1)
This episode started as a parenting read and turned into a masterclass in leadership.
After picking up Good Inside by Dr. Becky Kennedy, Jay found himself repeatedly thinking, "This is leadership." In the first of a two-part series, he explores the surprising—and incredibly useful—ways that parenting advice maps directly onto leadership. If you're mission-driven, leading a team, or simply trying
504. How to Rebuild Your Life After Losing Everything with Gene Rivers
Sometimes the challenges life throws at us are bigger than anything we could have prepared for. In today’s episode, I sit down with my longtime friend Gene Rivers, one of the top instructors and true practitioners of The ONE Thing, to hear the remarkable story of how he and his family survived a devastating hurricane—and what they did next.
Gene shares what life was like before the hurricane hit,
503. 16.5 Proven Audience-Building Secrets
When Jay Papasan launched the Twentypercenter newsletter, it was his personal version of a Rocky-style training montage. He committed to writing, editing, and publishing a new piece every single week—no matter what. 137 newsletters later, he’s gained more than just consistency. He’s built a powerful, intentional audience and uncovered key lessons about what it takes to grow something meaningful.
502. How High Performers Build Resilience in Chaotic Times with Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe
What if the ability to bounce back isn’t something you’re born with—but something you can build?
This week, you’ll hear from Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe, a behavioral psychologist and expert on resilience and stress. Robyne breaks down how resilience is not just about “toughing it out”—it’s about building habits that create consistent, calm comebacks even in the face of chaos. We talked about how hig
501. 5 Principles from The ONE Thing Every College Student Needs
It’s graduation season—and whether you’ve got a child, a niece or nephew, or just a young person in your life heading to or already in college, you’re probably wondering how to best support them in this new chapter.
In this episode, Jay gets personal. He walks through the highs and lows of his own college years—from social misfires and major indecision to joining the rugby team and becoming a dou
500. Who Do You Want to Become? with Geoff Woods
This milestone episode marks 500 episodes and over 6 million downloads of The ONE Thing Podcast—and we couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate than bringing Geoff Woods back to the mic.
Geoff helped launch this podcast and spent years leading The ONE Thing company. In this episode, we look at what’s happened since he moved on. From becoming Chief Growth Officer at a multinational conglomerate
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