Featured Image by geralt from Pixabay
In the movie City Slickers, an old cowboy named Curly told Billy Crystal’s character, “The secret to life is 1 thing.” Crystal’s character replied, “That’s great, but what’s that 1 thing?” Curly said, “That’s what you’ve gotta figure out.”
Finding what a person likes can be as simple as asking. Does she like flowers, jewelry, romantic movies, or nice dinners? Does he like fishing, hunting, action movies, or any meal that includes meat? Finding what someone likes is not the same as knowing what that 1 thing is for him/her. That can be difficult, even more difficult to find that 1 thing for yourself.
Ask 100 people this question, “What’s the 1 thing that would bring you joy?” You will likely hear ‘money’ from most of them. When we see wealthy, successful people we might assume their happiness comes from money. While true for some, many find happiness from something else. Money is a blessing but it’s really a byproduct of their finding that 1 thing.
If you’ve never heard of Ingvar Kamprad, you’re not alone. Because of the work done by Myers-Davis, I was intrigued by his story. Struggling with dyslexia in rural Sweden, traditional education left him feeling alienated; however, he didn’t allow his disadvantages to make him disadvantaged. What seemed a handicap to most caused him to think visually and systematically. Today, we owe a debt of thanks to Ingvar Kamprad for furniture that even I can assemble! Yes, IKEA furniture is that 1 thing for him.
Reed Hastings stepped away from the software industry to teach high school math and reconnect with his values. Teaching teenagers reminded him of what authentic leadership looked like—patient, adaptive, and focused on growth rather than on control. Finding that 1 thing led to a new platform for streaming entertainment to us; we know it as NETFLIX.
Let me tell you about Angela. No, not that one. Angela Duckworth left a consulting job at McKinsey & Co. and later quit a government position to become a 7th-grade math teacher. In her classroom, she observed the students who succeeded weren’t necessarily the smartest, but the most persistent. This insight, which she might never have uncovered in a corporate boardroom, became the foundation for research that would reshape how we understand achievement. She found that 1 thing in her willingness to trade status for honest curiosity. She opened a new field of study, received the MacArthur Genius Grant, and is today a world-leader in the research on success and perseverance.
King Solomon wrote, “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” That’s the true 1 thing for everyone. After that, what’s that 1 thing you & I need to bring fulfillment? Whatever it is, let’s grab it, claim it, embrace it, and go for the goal!
My wife and I watched a TV show set in long-ago England. A royal family had a huge staff who cared for every need. We can’t relate, but I mention it for this reason: a butler assigned to the head of the estate found great joy in having everything done precisely, organized, on time, in proper order. I told my wife, “He’s found that 1 thing. He doesn’t care what others think he should do; he’s doing what brings him joy. I wish all of us could discover that secret.”
No matter what that secret may be for you, remember you are greatly loved!
–Jackie Chesnutt, Chaplain and Emotional Support Coach for Myers-Davis (5/11/2026)
