The ONE Thing

• 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, publisher of The ONE Thing and author of The 100 Best Books for Work and Life. Over the past 20 years, Todd has read more than 3,000 books, reviewed over 1,000 of them, and curated the top 100 that deliver the greatest insights for work, leadership, growth, and purpose. In this conversation, he shares the lessons he's learned from a lifetime of reading---why self-awareness is the most consistent takeaway across categories, how to choose books that truly add value, and why organizing your reading around the problems you're facing is the fastest path to results. You'll come away with a clearer framework for deciding what to read, how to apply it, and when to let go of books that don't serve you. If you've ever struggled with too many choices and not enough time, this episode will help you build a smarter, more intentional reading habit that compounds over time. Challenge of the Week:Be honest with yourself about the ONE problem you need to be working on right now. Then, choose a book---or a short list of books---that speaks directly to that problem. Don't try to read everything. Read for what you need. Want more tools to help you simplify your choices, focus on what matters, and get extraordinary results? Visit the1thing.com *** To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods. We talk about: What reading 3,000+ business and self-help books reveals about personal growth How to choose the right book for the problem you're facing right now The surprising lessons from curating The 100 Best Books for Work and Life Links & Tools from This Episode: The 100 Best Books for Work and Life by Todd Sattersten Jay Papasan on Instagram Follow Todd Sattersten on Instagram: @toddsattersten Free Resources Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email [email protected] or send us an audio note at Speakpipe.com/the1thing Produced by NOVA

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• 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) carving out strategic “thinking time” when busyness feels like a drug. The unlock is going from E → P: swapping willpower and heroics for proven models, systems, and—often—a coach. Jay shares how he rebuilt his own leadership workflows when his team scaled 7x, adopting project management tools and executive-level time protection. Start with the smallest domino to rebuild confidence: a 30-minute strategy block, delegating one recurring task, or upgrading a spreadsheet to a true CRM. Small wins stack, ceilings break, and growth resumes. Challenge of the Week: Pick one important time block on your calendar this week and protect it at all costs—treat it like a meeting with your future self. *** To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods. We talk about: Why time-blocking fails without protection How the “competency trap” blocks delegation Designing thinking time to become strategic Links & Tools from This Episode: The ONE Thing (book) E to P Framework Brandon Turner Trello Top CRM Tools Executive Assistants & Chiefs of Staff Resources Coaching with The ONE Thing Free Resources Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email [email protected] or send us an audio note at Speakpipe.com/the1thing. Produced by NOVA

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• 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 chasing money as a proxy for progress and end up stuck in comparison games. His antidote: spend for utility, not status. Think high-end Toyota over entry-level BMW—the value you feel, not the logo others see. We also explore parenting and money. Kids pick up on our financial habits more than our lectures. Modeling empathy, consistency, and healthy values goes further than rules or restrictions. And we connect this back to The ONE Thing: clarity. When you’re clear on what really matters, you can spend money to buy back time, deepen relationships, and build freedom—like Morgan’s “reverse obituary” exercise that helps align spending with what you want your life to stand for. Challenge of the Week: Ask yourself (and your partner): What are we spending money on that doesn’t bring us joy—but we think we’re supposed to enjoy? Pick one and experiment with reducing or replacing it. *** To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods. We talk about: How to swap status spending for utility spending Why kids learn money values from what we model, not what we say A simple “reverse obituary” exercise to align money with what matters Links & Tools from This Episode: Read The Art of Spending Money by Morgan Housel Read The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel Read Same As Ever by Morgan Housel Read Die With Zero by Bill Perkins Read 30 Lessons for Living by Karl Pillemer Free Resources Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email [email protected] or send us an audio note at Speakpipe.com/the1thing. Produced by NOVA

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• 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, loss aversion, and commitment bias (hello, Concorde fallacy) keep us stuck doing what no longer serves us. He explains why not quitting isn’t automatically about integrity, how to avoid giving up too soon, and how to distinguish “throwing in the towel” from informed, strategic quitting. Jay draws on stories—from Seth Godin’s “winners quit” insight to Stuart Butterfield shutting down a game to create Slack, to Steve Jobs cutting Apple’s 350 products down to four—that illustrate how saying no to good (and average) frees you to say yes to great. Jay also shares a simple, repeatable framework: 1) set “pre-mortem” rules before you start (clear criteria for when you’ll continue or quit—think Everest’s 1 p.m. turnaround), 2) run regular Stop/Stay/Start reviews to reclaim calendar space, and 3) bring in outside perspective (data, your team, or a coach) to neutralize bias. Start small—quit one thing, even a 30-minute weekly time drain—and use the energy you regain to invest in your ONE Thing. Challenge of the Week: Quit one thing today. Choose a commitment you’re keeping for the wrong reasons—habit, expectation, or sunk costs—and bow out gracefully. Send the email, make the call, or hit “unsubscribe.” Use the reclaimed time for your ONE Thing this week. *** To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods. We talk about: The difference between giving up and strategic quitting A three-step framework to decide what to stop, what to keep, and what to start Real-world examples—from Slack to Apple—of quitting your way to better results Links & Tools from This Episode: Read Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away by Annie Duke Read The Dip by Seth Godin Listen to Episode 521. Build a Business That Won’t Burn You Out with Chris Ducker Read the Twentypercenter newsletter story on sunk costs and bad movies Free Resources Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email [email protected] or send us an audio note at Speakpipe.com/the1thing. Produced by NOVA

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• 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. It’s simple, not always easy—and it works. From putting one recurring gathering on the calendar to operationalizing connection at work with small rituals and tools, Liz shows how consistent habits compound into real belonging. We also dig into why belonging can’t stop at the nuclear family, how conflict handled well strengthens relationships, and why letting others help you may be the biggest gift you can give. If you’re ready to stop waiting for the “cool table” and start your own, this episode gives you the mindset and moves to build your village right where you are. Challenge of the Week: Pick one rhythm and protect it for 30 days. Choose a weekly walk, a standing coffee, or a monthly mastermind, and make it a recurring event on your calendar today. *** To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods. We talk about: How small, consistent rhythms create real belonging Why conflict and repair deepen trust instead of destroying it How asking for help builds stronger communities Links & Tools from This Episode: Learn more at lizbohannon.co Read Beginner’s Pluck by Liz Bohannon Follow Liz on Instagram: @lizbohannon Free Resources Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email [email protected] or send us an audio note at Speakpipe.com/the1thing. Produced by NOVA

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