The ONE Thing

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 leadership. From losing everything financially during the Great Recession to the unimaginable loss of her son, Julia shares how she found a way forward when life felt impossible.

Instead of pushing past pain, she learned to work through it—starting small, giving herself grace, and using simple tools like the 411 to regain momentum. Along the way, she discovered that purpose isn’t fixed. It evolves. And when you reconnect with it, it becomes the fuel that carries you through even the hardest seasons.

They also unpack the role of failure, why feedback accelerates growth, and how the people around you can either lift you higher or hold you back.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure how to move forward, this conversation offers a path—one step at a time. 

Challenge of the Week:

Start defining your personal mission statement. If that feels overwhelming, begin with your core values. Clarity around what matters most will help guide everything else.

***

To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods.

We talk about:

[00:00] Julia Lashay's Introduction

[03:14] Losing Everything and Navigating Personal Tragedy  

[10:16] The First Steps to Rebuilding Life

[15:38] Embracing Learning Lessons

[22:46] Surrounding Yourself with the Right People

[29:57] The ONE Thing Weekly Challenge 

Links & Tools from This Episode:


The ONE Thing Operating System 


Julia Lashay (speaker, coaching, resources)


Free Resources


Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email [email protected]  

Produced by NOVA

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 emotions, including the surprising research of Brené Brown, and outlines his 11 "infinite resources" - 11 ways we can influence change in our life, our relationships, and our world - all without feeling depleted afterwards.

The antidote is simple: start giving the very thing you want more of.

Challenge of the Week:

Identify the emotion or experience that feels most scarce in your life right now - gratitude, encouragement, connection, or something else. Then choose one person and give it to them this week. One small act can create a ripple you may never fully see.

***

To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods.

We talk about:

[00:00] “Maybe you've heard the story about Mr. Rogers…” Mr. Rodgers Helpers and the Idea Behind the Infinite Resources

[09:02] “So number one, love is an infinite resource…” Infinite Resource #1: Love

[09:38] “Number one, kindness, so you can offer…” Infinite Resource #2: Kindness

[10:15] “ Two creativity. I've written about this, I've talked..” Infinite Resource #3: Creativity

[10:52] “Gratitude. Right? Every single day…” Infinite Resource #4: Gratitude

[11:42] “Connection, authentic connection feels scarce…” Infinite Resource #5: Connection

[12:02] “Curiosity. This is a big one…” Infinite Resource #6: Curiosity

[12:41] “Hope when we encourage other people…” Infinite Resource #7: Hope

[12:54] “Inspiration. When you inspire others…” Infinite Resource #8: Inspiration

[12:58] “Positivity. A positive outlook…” Infinite Resource #9: Positivity

[13:01] “Encouragement, when we encourage others…” Infinite Resource #10: Encouragement

[13:09] “And finally… forgiveness…” Infinite Resource #11: Forgiveness

[13:39] “So there's all of these resources around us that we can tap into..” How To Give Infinite Resources Away

[22:53] “So Jay's very unofficial inventory of our infinite resources…” the ONE Thing Challenge

Links & Tools from This Episode:


The ONE Thing Operating System


Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown


Jay Shetty


Amy Bloom


Subsrcibe to Jay Papason’s Newsletter


Free Resources


Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email [email protected]  

Produced by NOVA

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 conversations don’t start with your product. They start with the problem.

You’ll hear how David used The ONE Thing to host high-impact executive dinners at Salesforce, turning simple focus questions into powerful masterminds that drove real results. He also unpacks his “PITCH” framework - the storytelling structure behind infomercials - and shows how it applies to premium products, leadership, and everyday conversations.

Whether you carry a sales title or not, you are in the business of influence. This episode will help you approach it with more empathy, clarity, and intention.

Challenge of the Week:

Before your next important conversation, pause and ask yourself: What does this person truly value? Shape your message around that—and see what changes.

***

To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods.

We talk about:


[00:00]  From Research Scientist to Sales Authority


[08:14] Turning Curiosity Into Cerebral Selling


[09:30] Why The ONE Thing Became Required Reading for Sales Teams


[12:40]  How Executive Dinners Became High-ROI Masterminds


[13:57] Using the Focusing Question to Unlock Peer Coaching


[21:13] The Psychology of Selling the Problem First


[23:19]  Breaking Down the PITCH Infomercial Formula


[31:52] Applying the PITCH Formula to Premium Enterprise Sales


[37:56]  The Power of Selling What People Truly Value

Links & Tools from This Episode:


To Sell Is Human by Daniel Pink


Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive


Check out David’s Business Cerebral Selling


Sell the Way You Buy by David Priemer


David Priemer’s TED Talk: “Why You’re Bad at Buying Stuff”


Free Resources


Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email [email protected]  

Produced by NOVA

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 everything down and create more open loops.

The solution isn’t better time management. It's a better selection.

Jay walks you through how to download all your open loops, apply extreme Pareto thinking, and identify the first domino that deserves your full focus. You’ll learn why extraordinary success is sequential, not simultaneous, and how redefining what “finished” means can free up mental space and build momentum.

If you’re tired of chasing inbox zero and still feeling behind, this episode gives you permission to subtract, prioritize, and focus on what truly matters.

Challenge of the Week:

Download every open loop in your life—personal and professional. Identify your true 20 percent. Choose your ONE Thing for the week, give it extra time, and let the rest wait.

***

To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods.

We talk about:


[00:00] Reframing the Overwhelm: From Myth to Clarity and Boundaries


[4:45] The Science Behind Open Loops: Zeigarnik Effect, Additive Bias, and Decision Drift 


[9:59] The ONE Thing’s Principle and the Alphabet vs Alternating Test


[17:09] Real World Stories: In-N-Out to Daya and Courtney


[23:37] Practical Steps: Download, Extreme Pareto and Redefine “Finished”.


[30:20] The ONE Thing Weekly Challenge 

Links & Tools from This Episode:


The ONE Thing Operating System


Bluma Zeigarnik (Zeigarnik Effect)


Leidy Klotz (Additive Bias Research)


Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule)


Free Resources


Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email [email protected]  

Produced by NOVA

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 order of success: purpose drives priority, and priority drives productivity. When you start at the surface with hacks and tools, you get busyness. When you start beneath the surface with clarity about why you’re working in the first place, everything changes.

He shares stories from Stu McLaren and Pat Flynn, unpacks the rider-and-elephant concept from The Happiness Hypothesis, and challenges you to define your “season” of life. What matters most right now? What role can you not afford to fail?

If you’ve been feeling busy but unfulfilled, this conversation will help you realign your work with what truly matters.

Challenge of the Week:

Block 30 minutes this week and ask yourself one simple question: Why am I working so hard? Journal your answer. Don’t edit it. Just get honest. Clarity begins there.

***

To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods.

We talk about:


[00:00] Productivity vs. Purpose


[01:09] The Busyness Trap


[04:30] The Iceberg


[13:59] Stu McLaren and the Courage to Pivot Toward Purpose


[17:09]  Building a Successful Business Can’t Be The Only Goal


[18:18] Purpose Is Always in Charge


[24:31] The Simple Challenge: Start With Purpose

Links & Tools from This Episode:


The ONE Thing Operating System


The ONE Thing (book)


Stu McLaren Website


Michael Hyatt Website


Pat Flynn


Will It Fly? by Pat Flynn


The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt


Free Resources


Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email [email protected]  

Produced by NOVA