The One Thing

The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

What I didn't like:

1. I thought much of the book was semantics, particularly when the author denigrates multi-tasking. It was as if he was trying to give us some earth-shattering insight by making a point that really wasn't a point. Many people can multi-task effectively. Obviously, trying to do too many things at once, particularly tasks that take lots of mental effort, isn't a good thing. That being said, there are lots of ways to multi-task that actually lead to greater productivity.

2. I have to believe that Gary either doesn't have kids or has somebody at home taking care of them. Unfortunately not everyone works in corporate America and can simply tune out the rest of the world for four hours a day. I get what his point was, but I don't think it was particularly helpful or instructive.

3. While I like the concept of "the one thing," I think he takes it way too far. Again, I felt as if we were getting sold a feeling/idea that sounds good on paper but doesn't translate well to the real world.

What I liked:

1. There were a lot of inspirational quotes in the book that were worth writing down.

2. And while this book really is "much ado about nothing," I like the idea of thinking big and starting small.

3. I gained a few new insights, but not nearly enough to give this more than 3 stars.