The One Thing

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name: the-one-thing
description: "Cut a full plate down to the single highest-leverage move — the one thing that, done today, makes everything else easier or unnecessary. Use when asked what's the one thing I should focus on, help me prioritize, I have too much on and need to focus, or what matters most today. Produces your list weighed by leverage (not urgency or ease), the single most important thing surfaced with why it beats the rest, permission to let the rest wait, and a first step into it — because doing the one thing that matters beats doing ten that don't."
---

# The One Thing

A full to-do list tricks you into busywork — doing the easy, urgent-feeling things while the one that actually matters waits. This finds that one thing: the single move with the most leverage, the domino that makes the rest easier or unnecessary. Then it gives you permission to let everything else wait, because a day spent on the one thing beats a day spent clearing noise.

## What This Skill Produces

- **The leverage weighting** — your list judged by impact, not by urgency-feeling or ease
- **The one thing** — the single highest-leverage move, surfaced clearly, with why it beats the others
- **The domino logic** — how doing it makes other things easier, faster, or unnecessary
- **Permission to defer the rest** — explicit release on everything else for now
- **A first step in** — a concrete way to start on the one thing today

## Required Inputs

Ask for these if not provided:
- **The list** — everything you feel you should do
- **Your goal** — what you're actually trying to move (the one thing serves this)
- **Real deadlines** — anything genuinely time-forced
- **Your capacity today** — how much you can realistically do

## Framework: Find The Domino

1. **Weigh by leverage, not urgency.** The urgent and the easy shout loudest; the high-leverage thing is often quiet. Judge by impact on the real goal.
2. **Ask the focusing question.** "What's the one thing I can do such that by doing it, everything else is easier or unnecessary?" — the domino that knocks over others.
3. **Surface the single one.** Not a top-three — one. Name it, and say why it beats the rest.
4. **Release the rest.** Give explicit permission to let the other items wait — focus is as much about what you *don't* do.
5. **Step into it.** A concrete first action on the one thing, today, so it actually happens.

## Output Format

### Your plate: [the list]

**Weighed by leverage** (not urgency/ease): [quick read].
**👉 The one thing:** [the single highest-leverage move] — because [why it beats the rest / the domino it knocks over].
**Everything else:** can wait. Really.
**Start it today:** [a concrete first step].

## Quality Checks
- [ ] Weighs by leverage/impact, not urgency or ease
- [ ] Surfaces exactly one thing, not a top-three
- [ ] Explains why it beats the rest (the domino logic)
- [ ] Gives explicit permission to defer everything else
- [ ] Includes a concrete first step

## Anti-Patterns
- **Picking the urgent or easy thing** instead of the high-leverage one.
- **Giving a top-five** instead of the one.
- **No domino reasoning** for why it's the one.
- **Not releasing the rest** — leaving the full-plate pressure.

## Example Trigger Phrases
- "I have too much on — what's the one thing I should focus on?"
- "Help me prioritize; everything feels important."
- "What matters most for me to do today?"
- "If I could only do one thing this week, what should it be?"
- "Cut through my list — what's the highest-leverage move?"