How to Win in 2026: 11 Essential Lessons from Gary Keller, Morgan Housel, and More

Feeling stuck? Not sure what your next step should be? Take action in 2026 and achieve extraordinary results with these 11 essential lessons from The ONE Thing Podcast. Jay Papasan highlights the best insights from guest like Gary Keller, Morgan Housel, Sahil Bloom, and more to help you start this year, or any year, off strong, aligned, and focused.

Are you ready to stop being busy and start being productive? In this special episode, we’ve curated high-impact moments from a full year of interviews on The ONE Thing Podcast.

Whether you’re looking to master the art of taking action or need strategies for sustaining long-term momentum, this 2026 Focus Playbook covers the foundational principles of success. We dive into Gary Keller’s philosophy on why consistency is intensity, Morgan Housel’s perspective on redefining success beyond money, and Sahil Bloom’s tactical experiments for better focus.

You'll also hear from world-class experts like Pat Flynn, Dorie Clark, and Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe on everything from the "90-second rule" for emotional processing to the "DeLorean Experiment" for future-facing clarity. If you’ve ever felt like your to-do list is winning, these 11 lessons will help you push through what was holding you back, and set yourself up for success in the new year.

Links to Full Episodes:
Jenny Wood: The Unconventional Traits That Fast-Track Success
   • The Unconventional Traits That Fast-Track ...  
Pat Flynn: Why Smart People Stay Stuck in "Getting Ready" Mode
   • Why Smart People Stay Stuck in "Getting Re...  
Sahil Bloom: Define Success on Your Own Terms
   • Define Success on Your Own Terms | Sahil B...  
Morgan Housel: The Art of Spending Money (And Why Most of Us Get It Wrong)
   • The Art of Spending Money (And Why Most of...  
Brandon Turner: How to 6X Your Goals Using The ONE Thing | Jay Papasan & Brandon Turner
   • How to 6X Your Goals Using The ONE Thing |...  
Anne-Laure Le Cunff: Tiny Experiments: The Neuroscience of Getting Unstuck
   • Tiny Experiments: The Neuroscience of Gett...  
Gary Keller: The Anti-Hustle Secret that built a Billion-Dollar Empire
   • The anti-hustle secret that built a billio...  
Dorie Clark: How to Win The Long Game (When Everyone Else Plays Short)
   • How to Win The Long Game (When Everyone El...  
Chris Ducker: How to Lead for the Long Haul Without Burning Out
   • How to Lead for the Long Haul Without Burn...  
Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe: Why High Achievers Burn Out (and What to Do About It)
   • Why High Achievers Burn Out (and What to D...  
Liz Bohannon: Leadership’s Hidden Cost: Loneliness - How to Build Real Community
   • Leadership’s Hidden Cost: Loneliness - And...  


👉 Take the FREE Productivity Peak Quiz to discover your natural productivity style:
https://the1thing.info/quiz

📖 Order the New York Times bestselling book The ONE Thing:
https://the1thing.com/book/

🎯 CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK:

Pick one lesson from this episode and turn it into a simple daily practice for the next week.

Which one are you going to pick?
Let us know in the comments ⬇️

***

🎧 Subscribe to The ONE Thing Podcast:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4uUgC03...

📄 Get more info and full show notes:
https://the1thing.com/podcast/

📖 Order your copy of The ONE Thing:
https://the1thing.com/book/

📬 Get productivity, goal-setting, and focus tips each week:
https://the1thing.com/#newsletter

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

***

Episode Chapters:


00:00 How to Crush Your Goals in 2026
01:43 Jenny Wood | The Power of Fear & Agency
06:01 Pat Flynn | Do You Have the RIGHT Goal?
09:35 Sahil Bloom | Parkinson’s Law & The Third-Party Observer
12:04 Morgan Housel | Does Success = Money?
14:29 Brandon Turner | The Most Important Next Step
17:23 Gary Keller | How Gary Built his Empire
21:22 Anne-Laure Le Cunff | Tiny Experiments to Lower the Stakes
24:51 Dorie Clark | Don't Give Up Yet
30:11 Chris Ducker | The WORST Thing Most Leaders Ignore
35:42 Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe | Regulate Emotions in 90 Seconds
39:08 Liz Bohannan | How to Build Community
44:10 How to Apply These Lessons in 2026