Making timely decisions and setting specific targets are vital for college students to align their activities with long-term goals.
Shifting from to-do lists to success lists empowers students to focus on impactful tasks, enhancing productivity and academic outcomes.
Deep dives
The Importance of Early Decision-Making
Making timely decisions is crucial for college students to thrive. Reflecting on personal college experiences, the speaker notes how delaying choices about social life and academics can lead to confusion and wasted time. By actively engaging in decision-making rather than passively drifting, students can build solid social networks and academic trajectories. Ultimately, early and thoughtful choices can help prevent extended periods of uncertainty and enhance the college experience.
Balancing Immediate Goals with Long-Term Vision
Setting targets for both the near future and the long term helps students prioritize significantly. By encouraging students to establish specific goals for their college journey, they can align their day-to-day activities with these overarching aspirations. This process of assessing current circumstances versus desired outcomes fosters clarity and informed decision-making. Achieving clarity not only facilitates better prioritization but also contributes to overall success during college years.
Transforming To-Do Lists Into Success Lists
Converting traditional to-do lists into success lists can dramatically enhance personal productivity. This approach emphasizes prioritizing the most impactful tasks, allowing students to focus on what truly matters. By identifying and concentrating on the essential few rather than the trivial many, students can efficiently allocate their time and resources. Ultimately, this practice leads to better academic outcomes and personal satisfaction by ensuring that critical objectives receive the attention they deserve.
The Role of Mindset in Overcoming Challenges
Cultivating an expansive mindset allows students to tackle challenges more effectively. By viewing tasks as opportunities rather than obstacles, students can change the way they approach their responsibilities. An illustrative example is a student who didn't realize they were working on unsolved math problems, suggesting that a more optimistic outlook can lead to unexpected successes. Encouraging students to think big helps them confront difficulties with confidence and ingenuity, paving the way for academic and personal growth.
It’s graduation season—and whether you’ve got a child, a niece or nephew, or just a young person in your life heading to or already in college, you’re probably wondering how to best support them in this new chapter.
In this episode, Jay gets personal. He walks through the highs and lows of his own college years—from social misfires and major indecision to joining the rugby team and becoming a double major in French and English. But more importantly, he shares what we wish college students learned… and what they actually do.
Back in 2015, the ONE Thing team interviewed 15 students from across the country who had read the book and tried to apply its principles. With a little coaching and a few worksheets, they surfaced six core discoveries that can serve any young adult stepping into independence:
Lay a Future Foundation – Even a vague purpose provides powerful direction.
Set Mid-Term Targets – Clarity around “where you want to be when college ends” helps shape present-day decisions.
Make a Success List, Not a To-Do List – Prioritize ruthlessly, especially when everything feels urgent.
Think Big – Sometimes we create unnecessary limits. Big goals can make hard things feel smaller.
Time Block for Willpower – Willpower isn’t on will-call. Structure your calendar to match your energy.
Clarify Core Values – Use your values as a compass for choices, especially when you're on your own.
Whether you're a parent, a mentor, or a recent grad yourself, this episode will inspire you to share the tools of focus, goal setting, and intention with someone who needs them most.
Challenge of the Week:
Identify a college-aged person in your life. Then go to the1thing.com/college to download the free college guide. Consider giving them a copy of The ONE Thing and the Core Values Deck as a graduation gift—and don’t just give it. Follow up. Ask if they’d like to go through it together. Help them put these tools into practice.
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To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods.
We talk about:
Why “figuring out your ONE Thing” matters even when you’re young
