The "One Thing" Rule: System For Completely Changing Your Life

I wanted to work the following in a sort of self help book, but I'm not much of a "filler" type of guy. So many people are dissatisfied with their lives, yet may lack the knowledge or motivation to do anything about it. It can seem so overwhelming sometimes, When you give up the fight to better yourself you die in a sense, never underestimate your potential.

First off, most people, though unhappy, do not even know what they want in life, so let's get that out of the way right now. Visualization is key, close your eyes and see the person you wish to be. How does he/she look, how do they talk, how do they move, what are their mannerism's even ?? Once you can clearly see them, become them, feel this person. What do they do for a living, what does their significant other look like, how does it feel to be succesful, to be loved?? Feeeeeel it. Do not forget this sensation, the idea of pure joy. Be one with it, wear it as you would a cloak. Now this is the part where a spiritual master would tell you to just "BE" this person, to believe it with heart and mind and it will come true, to be is to become.

Yet we are not all spiritual master's now are we ?? So instead, I would like you to do something simple, I'm sure some of you have guessed it by now. Something so simple it can only come from the mind of a man child like myself.

Tommorrow, I want you to do One Thing, that will change your life for the better. How easy is that ? It can be replacing a burger with a salad, working out, talking to someone you've fallen out with, or it can be to Not do something, .. like get drunk, do drugs, or smoke. This is different for everyone, and it is up to you to decide what you do. Think of your ideal self, how do they live, what do they eat, what do they not do ??

You can change up what your " One Thing" is day to day, but I suggest you do the same thing, .... everyday, until it becomes a routine. This may take weeks or even months depending how stubborn you are. Now that it has become a routine, it isn't really your " one thing" anymore now is it ?? So now you will have to choose another thing to benefit from. So eventualy, even though it feels like your only doing " one thing", your routine has changed so drasticaly you are doing much more than you ever intended.

What is a life ?? we live by our patterns. Do you see what we are doing here, we are slowly changing our patterns and inherently ourselves. Every day you must make a conscious decision to become the person you wish to be. And although this process drasticaly helps you on an outward level, the true purpose of it is to reveal a road map to success, change your mind, and help you realize that you are already that ideal person. Because once you realize it you become it.

self confidence can only be gained by action, this simple method also helps you rewire your mind so doing good things for yourself and others creates a positive reinforcement. This method has worked wonder's for me, and if it's for you, may it find you well.

One Thing can change a life.

How does that quote go, .... Every passing minute is just another chance to turn it all around. Never forget that, fight the good fight. One.

Four stars, four flags, no responses, LOL.

Let's let this baby ride, if even one person can take something from it.

kinda like one step...
if you take one step towards your goal every day, imagine how much farther you will be in a year, 5 years, 10 years.....
words I live by.

I think the OP has a great idea!

This makes a lot more sense to me than the simpler "visualize what you want to be and you will be it," because it combines visualization with concrete, willfully expended effort.

I have always been very critical of the "think happy thoughts and they will come true" model of reality. Mostly because it has a dark flip-side: it implies that if somebody is suffering, it is their own fault for "not thinking right." A billionare owes all to his "positive thoughts" while a starving child should just learn to "visualize better"? Not in the universe I know.

But the OP's method combines the positive aspects of visualization with concrete efforts. Good stuff, I like what I'm seeing here.

Why can't we all be spiritual masters?

Second line.

this is what i thought your title meant, which i personally believe to be more true and effective than what you have proposed:....


in the whole of your life, you can reasonably expect to accomplish only ONE THING. most people dont even get that far.


for example: if you manage to successfully raise a family....thats it. you're done.

once this ONE THING is complete (which may take an entire lifetime), you may no longer reasonably expect to have the resources or presence of mind and body to accomplish anything else.


we have become accustomed in modern society to the idea that we can "have it all." i believe that this is simply not the case.


no....you cannot have it all....you can have ONE THING. what is it?

reply to post by onequestion


Who said we can't ??

We are only limited by ourselves, some say spiritual master's are the one's who move mountains, but the true master realizes that they don't have to. There is perfection in everything.

reply to post by tgidkp


Does "managing once in a while to take out the garbage before the wife nags you" count as the "one thing" in your schema? Keep in mind, its pretty tough for some of us.

On a more serious note, I think your idea is good as well. Actually I'd go further and say that if you can simply make it by without hurting people more than you help them, that's bascially enough. But even that can be hard.

Self Help- As soon as I saw these two words I said "Niiiiice, I can use some of that".

I love threads like this where it seems as if it brings you up as you are reading it.

It sure is a change from all that BP crap splattered all over the ATS screens. It even got its own forum.

But its threads like this that keep me going on this site, eventhough I am guilty of some of the negative that goes on here at the same time. So I am not innocent. But good work.

s&f this #%@$!.

reply to post by silent thunder


if you become "accomplished" at taking out the garbage, i should want to be there to witness. surely it would be such a sight to behold such a mastery!


but really, the idea i am striving for is to lower expectations in general. my dear auntie says, "expectations are premeditated disappointments." why do we want so much? why do we expect so much? what good is it doing to torture ourselves in this way?


i ask these questions of the OP. why should we torture ourselves?! if i set up a standard for myself to do "one thing per day", and then i fail to do even that one thing, then i must consider myself a failure.

it really sounds like the OP is setting us up for failure!

reply to post by IntastellaBurst


Thanks for making the effort , you sincerely want other people to be happy.

I'm seeing more and more of that and I like it .

We are on the right path , unbelievable I know but I do sincerely think/feel that change is around the corner.

reply to post by tgidkp


haha of course I'm not setting you up for failure, of course there are day's you won't want to do something.

But once you get the ball rolling, you will WANT, to do these things, the feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment will be like a drug. How many people go to sleep not doing anything with their day, looking back maybe it should not have even been lived.

at least now you can say, well I did THIS, or THAT. Remember, it is a conscious decision each day, .... when your wife is nagging you, you can make the choice of making it worse and having a terrible day for the love of drama, or making things right.

The " one thing" rule, is the absoloute minimum, it asks only one thing in a 24 hour period. But the thing is, once your mind is actively engaged and seeing results it's effects will increase exponentially. Untill one day you look back, and your old life seems like a distant shadow.

Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.

Well posted, OP.

The longest journey, as they say, begins with but a single step.

Persistence and diligence are still difficult, but focusing on specifics in this way does help a lot. I have found it so in my own life.

Look for the " one thing rule " coloring and activity book coming to a store near you !!

Originally posted by tgidkp
i ask these questions of the OP. why should we torture ourselves?! if i set up a standard for myself to do "one thing per day", and then i fail to do even that one thing, then i must consider myself a failure.

[/sarcasmon] Yes, it is much better to stumble through life with no hopes or dreams, never trying to better ourselves, just waiting for our inevitable death [/sarcasmoff]

OP, great job, thanks, I needed this thread right about now.

thanks for the post

the reality is that I dont have any idea of what path I will take, everything is just blurry, I dont want to be another "regular worker"

right now I really would like to just not work, to do some project alone or whatever ...

actually I will probably end up playing poker ...

reply to post by Faiol


Alot of people have no idea what they eventualy want to do, ... even me. But at least we can move forward, move towards something better, even if we are flying blind.

and the process of becoming is also a process of self discovery, We cannot view where we want to go from the same ole vantage point.

A bump, .... for those of you who may find these words inspring, or even life changing.

Most people are unhappy living in quiet despair, .... yet lack the motivation or cajones to take that one step, .... to finally be the person they always wanted to be.

You can have it, ... have it all. Your utopia awaits, it is not beyond reach.

Have faith, gather your strength and move forward, ... it begins when you believe it can .

aww your so sweet. i made the choice to be a winner again. i was in a rut for three years now i am desiding to be a winner again evryday im hustle'n break free 0p break free!!!






-----peace