You’ve probably heard of the Four Thieves of Productivity: the inability to say no, fear of chaos, poor health habits, and an environment that doesn’t support your goals. But have you ever stopped to ask—which one is stealing the most from you right now?
This week, Jay Papasan is joined by his coach and the Head Coach of The ONE Thing, Jordan Freed, for a powerful reexamination of the Four Thieves—this time through the lens of coaching. Jordan brings a coach’s eye to these common productivity killers, helping you not only identify your thief, but also design simple, practical solutions to reclaim your focus.
We talk about how environment is often the real culprit behind people-pleasing, why building a digital and physical “bunker” is key to getting deep work done, and how to turn fear of chaos into clarity through better planning. You’ll also learn Jordan’s hierarchy of health and how to build better habits by starting with the basics: breath, water, and sleep.
Whether you're constantly saying yes to the wrong things or find yourself paralyzed by the unknown, this episode will help you take back control—and protect what matters most.
Challenge of the Week:
Engineer your bunker. Physically and digitally, design a space that helps you focus on your ONE Thing. Turn off unnecessary notifications, block distractions, and create boundaries so your environment supports—not sabotages—your goals.
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To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods.
We talk about:
- How people-pleasing is often rewarded and reinforced in our work and personal lives
- Why your environment might be the hidden thief behind your inability to say no
- How to use prompting and priming to build new, healthier habits
Links & Tools from This Episode:
Produced by NOVA
