Busy Isn’t the Same as Productive: The ONE Thing for Loan Officers and Agents

You answered 60 emails today. You returned 14 calls. You chased two appraisals and a missing pay stub. You were busy from 8 to 6.

And at the end of the day, you still didn’t do the thing that would actually grow your business.

Sound familiar? That’s exactly the gap Gary Keller writes about in The ONE Thing. If his name rings a bell, it should. He co-founded Keller Williams Realty. This book has been a bestseller for more than a decade, and it’s the one I recommend most to agents and loan officers who feel stretched thin.

The Big Idea: Go Small

Keller’s advice is counterintuitive. To get big results, go small. Narrow your focus until you find the one task that matters most.

He uses the image of falling dominoes. One small domino can knock over a slightly bigger one, and that one knocks over a bigger one. Line them up right, and small actions set off huge results.

The Focusing Question

This is the part I want you to write on a sticky note. Keller suggests asking yourself, every day: what’s the one thing I can do right now that would make everything else easier or unnecessary?

For most loan officers and agents, the honest answer isn’t email. It’s usually one of these:

• Talking to a past client or referral partner.
• Following up with a warm lead.
• Building a relationship with one new agent or one new buyer.

Everything else is support work. Important, yes. But it isn’t the domino.

The Lies That Keep Us Busy

Keller names a few myths that trick smart people into mediocre days. Here are the ones I see most in our industry.

“Everything matters equally.”

It doesn’t. A to-do list with 30 items treats a thank-you email and a new agent meeting as equals. They aren’t.

“I’m great at multitasking.”

We’re really just switching fast. And every switch costs focus. Reviewing a file while on a call means you’re doing both halfway.

“I just need more willpower.”

Willpower runs out as the day goes on. That’s why Keller recommends doing your most important work early, before the fires start.

Time Blocking: Protect the Domino

Keller’s practical answer is time blocking. Put your ONE Thing on the calendar like an unbreakable appointment. He recommends a big block, even up to four hours for your top priority. Start where you can. Even 60 protected minutes a morning changes everything.

Then guard it. Phone on do not disturb. Email closed. Your team knows not to interrupt unless the house is on fire. Literally.

Your Deal Doctor Prescription

• Tomorrow morning, before opening email, ask the focusing question.
• Block 60 to 90 minutes for that one thing, every day this week.
• Write your weekly ONE Thing on a sticky note and put it on your monitor.
• At the end of each day, ask: did I knock over my domino today?

The Bottom Line

Busy isn’t the same as productive. The people who grow in any market aren’t the ones who do the most. They’re the ones who do the most important thing first.

Here’s my challenge. Find your ONE Thing for this week. Protect the time. Then let everything else fall into place behind it.

And if your ONE Thing is building a lending partnership that makes your deals easier, let’s start there. Visit JustCallKate.info.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The ONE Thing

What is The ONE Thing about?

Gary Keller and Jay Papasan’s book teaches that extraordinary results come from focusing on your single most important priority and protecting time for it.

What is the focusing question?

It asks what one thing you can do that would make everything else easier or unnecessary. It helps identify your highest-impact task.

Who is Gary Keller?

Gary Keller is the co-founder of Keller Williams Realty and co-author of The ONE Thing and The Millionaire Real Estate Agent.

How can real estate agents use The ONE Thing?

Identify the activity that drives the most business, usually lead generation, and time block it every morning before anything else.

How can loan officers use The ONE Thing?

Protect daily time for relationship building and lead follow-up, and push admin work to later in the day.

What is time blocking?

Scheduling a protected block of time on your calendar for a specific priority and treating it like an unbreakable appointment.

How long should a time block be?

Keller recommends a large block for your top priority. Start with 60 to 90 minutes if that’s what’s realistic, and build from there.

Is multitasking bad for productivity?

Switching between tasks costs focus and time. Doing one important task at a time usually produces better results.

What is the domino effect in The ONE Thing?

The idea that one small, well-chosen action can trigger progressively bigger results, like falling dominoes.

Is The ONE Thing still worth reading?

Yes. It’s a long-running bestseller, and its focus and time blocking lessons fit busy loan officers and agents especially well.

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Source: This Broker Brief summarizes and comments on ideas from The ONE Thing by Gary Keller with Jay Papasan (Bard Press, 2013). Bestseller status: a perennial bestseller written by the co-founder of Keller Williams Realty. All ideas from the book belong to its author; the commentary and mortgage and real estate applications are my own. I highly recommend reading the full book.

Kate Deiboldt | Senior Mortgage Advisor | VanDyk Mortgage Corporation | NMLS #18487 | Company NMLS #3035
Kate@VanDykMortgage.com | (931) 980-9764 | JustCallKate.info
Licensed in TN, KY, AL, FL, GA, TX, and IL. Equal Housing Lender. This article is for educational purposes only and is not a commitment to lend. All loans subject to credit approval and program guidelines.