Nonprofit Mastermind Podcast

Episode Summary: "Why You Need To Pick One Thing"

Host: Brooke Richie-Babbage
Release Date: September 30, 2025

Overview

This episode dives deep into the transformative power of singular focus for nonprofit founders and leaders. Brooke Richie-Babbage draws from both personal experience and compelling anecdotes to demonstrate why trying to tackle too many priorities can stall organizational growth, while laser focus on a single goal can accelerate progress, reduce overwhelm, and drive real impact. The episode serves as both inspiration and a practical guide, challenging listeners to choose "one thing" to prioritize for tangible results.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Power of Singular Focus (00:02 – 06:00)

• Opening Story: Brooke shares an anecdote about a woman who set out to save $30,000 to pay off student loans—a goal she achieved in six months rather than her projected 18 months.
  "She achieved her goal in a third of the time. Because she chose one goal. One singular goal that meant that every unexpected check she got, every bonus... all of it went straight into savings for her goal." (05:15)
• Lesson Applied to Nonprofits:
  • Organizations, like individuals, gain momentum when attention and resources are concentrated on a single, clear target.
  • Spreading energy over too many priorities dilutes progress and leads to fatigue.

The Pitfall of Multiple Competing Priorities (06:01 – 10:00)

• Common Nonprofit Trap:
  • Leaders attempt to scale by addressing everything at once: fundraising, programs, systems, hiring, partnerships.
  • The result is feeling “thin,” frustrated, and burdened by slow progress.
  • "They wear themselves thin, they spread out their attention, and then they wonder why progress feels like it's wading through molasses." (07:20)
• Organizational Alignment:
  • A singular goal helps staff energy, budgets, funder communications, and decision-making all align naturally.
  • Consistency in message and action increases external credibility and internal clarity.

Clarity and Decision-Making (10:01 – 14:00)

• Decision Fatigue:
  • Lack of clear, singular focus leads to “decision fatigue.” Every choice feels like high stakes and contributes to burnout.
  • "Every choice that you make starts to feel like some version of Russian roulette… With one singular focus, those choices are simplified and you don't feel like you're shooting in the dark." (11:45)
• Focus as a 'Force Multiplier':
  • Concentrated resources shift organizations from slow incrementalism to “compounding flywheel momentum.”
  • "Focus is a force multiplier. It channels every dollar, every staff hour, every decision through one lens." (12:10)
  • Growth should mean more alignment, not just more activities.

Practical Advice & Action Steps (14:01 – 18:30)

• You Can’t Fix Everything at Once:
  • There's value in identifying organizational pain points, but not in trying to address them all simultaneously.
  • "You cannot fix everything at once. It simply won't work." (15:25)
• Actionable Challenge:
  • Brooke invites listeners to pick one highly specific, measurable, and impactful focus for the next quarter.
    • Example: Instead of a vague “raise more money,” set focus like “rethink and redesign our leadership team to align with strategic priorities” or “launch our new monthly giving program.”
    • "Make it really specific, and then make everything else secondary. Not forever, just for now." (16:05)
  • By doing so, teams and resources will organically rally around that focus—and results will be visible.

Mindset Shift: Operator vs. Architect (18:31 – 20:00)

• Brooke emphasizes the importance of transitioning from simply reacting to problems to purposefully designing the organization’s future.
  • "That's what separates operators from architects, being in the weeds from designing a container to hold the next phase of your organization's growth." (19:15)
• End-of-Year Reflection:
  • Listeners are encouraged to choose the one thing that will “unlock the next level” for their organization as they look toward 2026.

Notable Quotes

• "Progress would have been scattered and much slower. But because she concentrated her focus, she built momentum and she got there three times faster." (05:40)
• "Organizations, like people, move faster when their time, their money, and their attention is pointed at one defined outcome." (06:35)
• "Scaling your impact is not about doing more things. It's actually about doing fewer things with more precision." (10:50)
• "Aligned focus equals better." (13:30)
• "If everything matters equally, nothing will move." (18:49)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:02 — Introduction & story of the $30,000 loan payoff
• 05:15 — The principle of singular focus and its application in nonprofits
• 07:20 — The trap of juggling too many priorities
• 11:45 — Decision fatigue and the relief of clarity
• 12:10 — Focus as a force multiplier
• 15:25 — The impossibility of fixing everything at once
• 16:05 — Brooke’s challenge: Pick one actionable focus for the next quarter
• 19:15 — Operator vs. architect and designing for future growth
• 18:49 — Core takeaway: If everything matters, nothing will move

Final Takeaways

• Singular focus accelerates organizational momentum, clarity, and results.
• Nonprofit growth should be about alignment and precision—not just more activities.
• Name one-priority this quarter, get your team aligned, and watch your organization organize itself around this new strength.
• Being an "architect" of growth means designing with intention, not just reacting to every opportunity or problem.

Brooke's blend of practical advice, relatable anecdotes, and actionable next steps makes this episode a must-listen for nonprofit leaders aiming for sustainable, high-impact growth.