The ONE Thing Isn’t A Productivity Book

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1. 

   E551 · 30 Mar 2026 · 46 min

   The Science Behind Sustained Success with Nir Eyal

   What if the biggest thing holding you back isn’t your skills, your resources, or even your discipline—but your beliefs? In this conversation, Jay sits down with Nir Eyal to unpack the hidden force behind motivation and persistence. While most people think success comes from knowing what to do, Nir makes a compelling case that the real driver is belief. If you don’t believe the effort will pay off—or that you’re capable of sustaining it—you’ll quit long before results show up. They break down the “motivation triangle” of behavior, benefit, and belief, and explore how limiting beliefs quietly…

2. 

   E550 · 23 Mar 2026 · 33 min

   Don’t Waste Your Hardest Lessons: Julia Lashay’s 5 Principles of Unshakable Resilience

   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…

3. 

   E549 · 16 Mar 2026 · 25 min

   Giving Your Infinite Resources: A Shift In Perspective When The World Feels Heavy

   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…

4. 

   E548 · 9 Mar 2026 · 42 min

   The Psychology of Sales: How to Close More Deals (Without Feeling Sales-y) with David Priemer

   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…

5. 

   E547 · 2 Mar 2026 · 36 min

   Closing the Loop: The Science Behind Feeling Overwhelmed, And What to Do About It

   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,…

6. 

   E545 · 16 Feb 2026 · 47 min

   Amy Purdy, Paralympic Medalist: How to Turn Your Greatest Setback into Your Greatest Strength

   At 19 years old, Amy Purdy went to work feeling a little run down. Within 24 hours, she was fighting for her life in the hospital. She beat the odds, and survived a life-threatening infection - but she would ultimately lose both legs below the knee as a result. What followed wasn’t a comeback story built on motivation posters. It was a masterclass in agency. In this conversation, Amy walks Jay through the moment she asked a life-altering question from her hospital bed: If your life were a book, how would you want the story to go? That question became her anchor. From there, she visualized a…

7. 

   E544 · 9 Feb 2026 · 29 min

   Stop Ghosting Your Goals: How to Stay Committed to Your Future Success

   Are you ghosting your goals? By February, most people have already given up on the goals they set in January. But what if the reason you keep ignoring your goals isn’t a lack of discipline, but a lack of relationship? In this episode, Jay Papasan invites you to stop “proposing” to your goals every January and start dating them regularly instead. Jay breaks down why most goals fade by February and how to replace goal drift with steady progress. He walks through the full framework, from writing a Someday Letter and working backward into five-year and one-year milestones, to using the 411 to…

8. 

   E543 · 2 Feb 2026 · 34 min

   Scaling Your Side-Gig: How Alex Hopes Turned a Passion Project into A Phenomenon

   Most people don’t plan for a pivot that changes everything. For Alex Hopes, it started with a moment that stopped his life cold and rerouted it completely. What followed was a decade-long journey of saying yes to what was in front of him, even when it didn’t match the original plan. In this episode, Jay Papasan talks with Alex, founder of Zilker Bark, about how a simple dog photography project grew into massive dog events attracting thousands of people in the Austin area. They unpack the power of narrowing your focus, why constraints can sharpen creativity, and how community-driven…

9. 

   E542 · 26 Jan 2026 · 32 min

   Rituals of Recovery: What Elite Athletes Can Teach Us About High Performance

   Elite athletes don’t just train harder. They recover better. Between points, plays, and games, they use small, intentional rituals to reset their bodies and minds so they can perform again at a high level. In this episode, Jay Papasan makes the case that business owners and leaders need the same approach. Inspired by a classic Harvard Business Review article, Jay breaks down the difference between habits, systems, routines, and rituals—and why rituals stand apart. Habits and systems automate outcomes. Rituals create meaning. That meaning helps us shift emotional states, regain focus, and…

10. 

    E541 · 19 Jan 2026 · 40 min

    Public Speaking 101: How Tristan de Montebello Mastered Public Speaking in 7 Months

    Public speaking consistently ranks as one of our biggest fears, but what if the real issue isn’t technique at all? In this episode, Jay sits down with Tristan de Montebello, co-founder of Ultraspeaking, to explore why confidence breaks down when we communicate and how to rebuild it from the inside out. Tristan shares his rapid journey from beginner to finalist in the World Championship of Public Speaking and the lessons that reshaped how he thinks about mastery, coaching, and performance. Together, they unpack the idea of “leaking” insecurity, why audiences feel it instantly, and how small…