By Tony Martin
Editor
There’s a line I’ve started using to describe the things that matter most to me: It’s stapled to my heart. Not taped. Not pinned. Not scribbled on a sticky note. No, it’s stapled—firmly, permanently, right there in the center of who I am.
And if you’ve ever tried removing a staple from something delicate, you know—it leaves a mark.
So what’s that thing for you? That one passion, mindset, or purpose that gives your life clarity and direction? The one thing that’s not just important—it’s essential? The one thing you’d want the world to know if they gave you a mic and two minutes?
Discovering that thing — your one thing — can be life-changing.
The “One Thing” Principle
In the Psalms, David gives us a perfect example of this kind of laser-focused purpose:
“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life…” (Psalm 27:4, ESV)
Just one thing. Out of everything David could’ve chased — power, revenge, legacy — he chose intimacy with God. That was his one thing. It shaped his prayers, his leadership, and even his repentance.
Jesus echoed the same idea when He gently corrected Martha for being “anxious and troubled about many things,” while her sister Mary focused on just one:
“But one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion…” (Luke 10:42, ESV)
Mary’s one thing? Sitting at Jesus’ feet. Listening. Being with Him.
Paul got in on this theme too:
“But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on…” (Philippians 3:13–14, ESV)
For Paul, the one thing was the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. It redefined his identity, rerouted his ambition, and restructured his days.
Are you sensing a pattern?
Why You Need to Know Your One Thing
When you know your one thing, you stop chasing everything. Your yes gets clearer. Your no gets easier. Life gets simpler, not because it’s less complicated, but because your purpose becomes more concentrated.
And let’s be honest—there are a lot of good things out there. Good causes, good goals, good opportunities. But even good things become burdens when they aren’t your main thing. Without focus, we start saying yes to so many things that we end up half-hearted in all of them.
Knowing your “one thing” doesn’t mean you only do one thing. It means everything else flows from that one thing.
How to Discover What’s Stapled to Your Heart
Start with this question: What is the one thing I would gladly do, even if no one ever noticed or applauded?
Now add: What is the one truth or calling I can’t not talk about?
And this one: What is the one mindset or mission I want to leave behind in the hearts of others?
Your answers might not be fully formed, but patterns will emerge.
Maybe your “one thing” is helping people feel seen and loved. Maybe it’s teaching truth. Maybe it’s creating beauty. Maybe it’s pointing people to freedom in Jesus.
For me? I’ve come to realize that my “one thing” is offering encouragement to hurting people. Real encouragement. Not sugarcoated sentiment. Not cheerleader vibes. I want to show people that even in the middle of their mess, God is still present — and peace is still possible.
That’s what’s stapled to my heart.
Living from Your One Thing
Once you discover your one thing, it starts to shape your world.
It affects the way you pray.
The way you spend your time.
The way you serve.
The way you speak.
Your one thing becomes your compass. It doesn’t eliminate the storms, but it keeps you from drifting.
If you’re still not sure what your one thing is, don’t panic. You don’t have to figure it out overnight. Just start by asking God to show you. Pray like David did:
“Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path…” (Psalm 27:11, ESV)
You don’t have to invent your purpose. You just have to uncover what God already planted in your heart.
And when you find it? Don’t be afraid to go all in. Let it shape your decisions. Let it guide your conversations. Let it show up in your prayers, your plans, and your people.
Let it be so deeply embedded in you that, even if the world tried to rip it out, it would leave a permanent mark.
Let it be stapled to your heart.
