Own Your One Thing

“What's the one thing I can do, such that by doing it everything else is easier or unnecessary?”

That's it.

- Gary Keller

Lately, so much attention has been given to “prompt engineering” for AI that it’s worth reminding ourselves that questions also have a powerful way of prompting the human mind that is truly extraordinary. Gary Keller’s “One Thing” question is exactly this type of powerful lever for unlocking clarity and decisiveness throughout the day.

Here are 12 additional questions that can help guide your ROCKET Goals journey, supported by the classic Stoic philosophers! As you read through this list of questions, notice which ones “jump out” for you and take some time to reflect on your answer. Much like a stained glass window, this set of inter-related questions and quotes will serve as a filter to reflect the light of your attention in different angles over time.

1. Am I Prioritizing My ONE Thing?
"You have power over your mind - not outside events.
Realize this, and you will find strength." 
- Marcus Aurelius

Concentrate on controlling your focus and effort towards your ONE Thing, recognizing that this is where your true power lies.

2. Does This Align with My Core Purpose?
"First say to yourself what you would be;
and then do what you have to do."
- Epictetus

Ensure your actions and decisions are in harmony with the essence of your ONE Thing, reflecting your true nature and values.

3. What Is My Ultimate Priority?
"It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare;
it is because we do not dare that they are difficult." 
- Seneca

Focus on clarifying and committing to your ONE Thing, the cornerstone of your endeavors, to navigate life's challenges with courage.

4. Is This Action Reflective of My Best Self?
"The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you,
whose presence calls forth your best." 
- Epictetus

Act in ways that bring you closer to achieving your ONE Thing, embodying the virtues that lead to a life of integrity and excellence.

5. What Growth Can I Glean From This Experience?
"He who fears death will never do anything worthy of a living man." 
- Seneca

View every challenge on the path to your ONE Thing as a lesson, embracing the opportunity for wisdom and resilience.

6. Can I Let Go of Attachment to Specific Outcomes?
"If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment." 
- Marcus Aurelius

Focus on the journey towards your ONE Thing, detaching from the fixation on outcomes to find fulfillment in growth and effort.

7. What Would My Best Self Do?
"Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one." 
- Marcus Aurelius

Reflect on how the best version of yourself would act to advance towards your ONE Thing, guiding your decisions with wisdom.

8. Am I Viewing This Through the Lens of My ONE Thing?
"The universe is change;
our life is what our thoughts make it." 
- Marcus Aurelius

Ensure your perceptions and beliefs support your progress towards your ONE Thing, maintaining a constructive and focused mindset.

9. Do I Have the Resilience for This?
"Man is affected, not by events, but by the view he takes of them."
- Epictetus

Believe in your capacity to endure and grow through challenges on your path, tapping into your inner strength.

10. What Am I Thankful for on This Journey?
"He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not,
but rejoices for those which he has." 
- Epictetus

Cultivate gratitude for the experiences, learnings, and people you encounter as you pursue your ONE Thing.

11. Is This Essential to My ONE Thing?
"To be everywhere is to be nowhere." 
- Seneca

Regularly assess what is truly essential in your pursuit,
eliminating distractions to focus on your ONE Thing.

12. What Impact Do I Want My ONE Thing to Have?
"What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others." 
- Pericles

Reflect on the legacy and difference you aim to make through your dedication to your ONE Thing.