--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Find the lead domino, and whack away at…" description: "\"Find the lead domino, and whack away at it until it falls.\" — Gary W. Keller" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdd/gary-w-keller-26118_domino_find-the-lead-domino-and-whack-away-at-i_97054.png" --- # Find the lead domino, and whack away at it until it falls. ![“Find the lead domino, and whack away at it until it falls.” quote by Gary W. Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdd/gary-w-keller-26118_domino_find-the-lead-domino-and-whack-away-at-i_97054.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdd/gary-w-keller-26118_domino_find-the-lead-domino-and-whack-away-at-i_97054.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdd/gary-w-keller-26118_domino_find-the-lead-domino-and-whack-away-at-i_97054.png) > “Find the lead domino, and whack away at it until it falls.” [Gary W. Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-w-keller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Identify the most critical obstacle and address it directly; removing it triggers a cascade of progress. **In simple terms:** Target the key problem to unlock broader change. Key Takeaway Strategic focus on a pivotal issue accelerates results. Themes strategy problem‑solving prioritization efficiency Mood pragmatic focused Type advice strategic When to use this quote - business process improvement - personal habit change - project management Key Concepts systems thinking leverage points Practical Applications - map dependencies to find leverage - allocate resources to the bottleneck Questions to Reflect On - What criteria determine the ‘lead domino’? - How can we avoid overlooking hidden constraints? A Different Perspective Complex systems may have multiple interdependent bottlenecks, not a single domino. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Domino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/domino/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) ## Related quotes > [There is magic in knocking down your most important domino day after day. All you have to do is avoid breaking the chain, one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-w-keller/there-is-magic-in-knocking-down-your-most-important-domino-day-after/) [Gary W. Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-w-keller/) > [Domino is all about... as an actress and as the character that is going to be on the screen, you already allude to it:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-liefeld/domino-is-all-about-as-an-actress-and-as-the-character-that-is-going/) [Rob Liefeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-liefeld/) > [The Domino Effect could stand for anything. It could be just the simple game of the domino rocks falling off one after another, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-lionni/the-domino-effect-could-stand-for-anything-it-could-be-just-the/) [Leo Lionni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-lionni/) > [ “Sometimes, \[gift\] with depth is all. Memory.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monaristw/sometimes-gift-with-depth-is-all-memory/) Monaristw > [“At a very rough estimate, the domino computer we built took six hours to set up and run, which means it could do four…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-parker/at-a-very-rough-estimate-the-domino-computer-we-built-took-six-hours/) [Matt Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-parker/) > [As you have two more huge characters as Cable and Domino, 'Deadpool' is growing, and it's making 'X-Force' franchise bigger and bigger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-kapicic/as-you-have-two-more-huge-characters-as-cable-and-domino-deadpool-is/) [Stefan Kapicic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-kapicic/) > [Said you gone put it in yo mouf, I guess I'll sit back and enjoy da show, All you bitches going down so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-porter/said-you-gone-put-it-in-yo-mouf-i-guess-i-ll-sit-back-and-enjoy-da/) [Travis Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-porter/) > [“As I sat on the floor in the corner of the concrete block, it felt as if the last domino had fallen in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-heil/as-i-sat-on-the-floor-in-the-corner-of-the-concrete-block-it-felt-as/) [Michael J Heil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-heil/) > [“They call me Domino for obvious reasons. One nudge in the right direction and I'm flat on my stomach.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-cochrane/they-call-me-domino-for-obvious-reasons-one-nudge-in-the-right/) Charlie Cochrane > [Your next step is simple. You are the first domino.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-next-step-is-simple-you-are-the-first-domino/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In truth, in the fairy-tale version of bailing out Lehman, the next domino, A.I.G., would have fallen even harder. If the politics of bailing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ross-sorkin/in-truth-in-the-fairy-tale-version-of-bailing-out-lehman-the-next/) [Andrew Ross Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ross-sorkin/) > [I would listen to Little Richard and Fats Domino and Chuck Berry, and I would listen to how they played their riffs, and after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-wilson/i-would-listen-to-little-richard-and-fats-domino-and-chuck-berry-and/) [Brian Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-wilson/) > [I was delivering pizzas at Domino's. I was 17 maybe. I liked it a lot. Just driving in the nice weather and listening to music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/i-was-delivering-pizzas-at-domino-s-i-was-17-maybe-i-liked-it-a-lot/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [My favorite characters are always the unpredictable ones, and with Domino, you literally never know which way the dice are going to roll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-simone/my-favorite-characters-are-always-the-unpredictable-ones-and-with/) [Gail Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-simone/) > [Domino effect: Once you drop a good idea, the rest will follow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loesje/domino-effect-once-you-drop-a-good-idea-the-rest-will-follow/) [Loesje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loesje/) ## More by Gary W. Keller > [In the end, the best way to succeed is to go small. And when you go small, you say no - a lot. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-w-keller/in-the-end-the-best-way-to-succeed-is-to-go-small-and-when-you-go/) [Gary W. Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-w-keller/) > [Taking complete ownership of your outcomes by holding no one but yourself responsible for them is the most powerful thing you can do to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-w-keller/taking-complete-ownership-of-your-outcomes-by-holding-no-one-but/) [Gary W. Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-w-keller/) > [Don't let small thinking cut your life down to size. Think big, aim high, act bold. And see just how big you can blow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-w-keller/don-t-let-small-thinking-cut-your-life-down-to-size-think-big-aim/) [Gary W. Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-w-keller/) > [Multi-tasking is merely the opportunity to screw up more than one thing at a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-w-keller/multi-tasking-is-merely-the-opportunity-to-screw-up-more-than-one/) [Gary W. Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-w-keller/) > [If everyone has the same amount of time and yet some earn more than others, can we say then say that it's how we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-w-keller/if-everyone-has-the-same-amount-of-time-and-yet-some-earn-more-than/) [Gary W. Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-w-keller/) > [You need to be doing fewer things for more effect instead of doing more things with side effects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-w-keller/you-need-to-be-doing-fewer-things-for-more-effect-instead-of-doing/) [Gary W. Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-w-keller/) > [Everyone has the same amount of time, and hard work is simply hard work. As a result, what you do in the time you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-w-keller/everyone-has-the-same-amount-of-time-and-hard-work-is-simply-hard/) [Gary W. Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-w-keller/) > [If disproportionate results come from one activity, then you must give that one activity disproportionate time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-w-keller/if-disproportionate-results-come-from-one-activity-then-you-must-give/) [Gary W. Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-w-keller/) > [What’s the ONE Thing you can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-w-keller/what-s-the-one-thing-you-can-do-such-that-by-doing-it-everything-else/) [Gary W. Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-w-keller/) > [There is magic in knocking down your most important domino day after day. All you have to do is avoid breaking the chain, one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-w-keller/there-is-magic-in-knocking-down-your-most-important-domino-day-after/) [Gary W. Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-w-keller/) > [Success is built sequentially. It's one thing at a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-w-keller/success-is-built-sequentially-it-s-one-thing-at-a-time/) [Gary W. Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-w-keller/) > [Success is sequential, not simultaneous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-w-keller/success-is-sequential-not-simultaneous/) [Gary W. Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-w-keller/) > [Until my ONE thing is done, everything else is a distraction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-w-keller/until-my-one-thing-is-done-everything-else-is-a-distraction/) [Gary W. Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-w-keller/) > [Anyone who dreams of an uncommon life eventually discovers that there is no choice but to seek an uncommon approach to living it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-w-keller/anyone-who-dreams-of-an-uncommon-life-eventually-discovers-that-there/) [Gary W. Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-w-keller/) > [When you give your ONE Thing your most emphatic Yes! and vigorously say No! to the rest, extraordinary results become possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-w-keller/when-you-give-your-one-thing-your-most-emphatic-yes-and-vigorously/) [Gary W. Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-w-keller/) [Explore all 22 Gary W. Keller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-w-keller/) ## More Domino quotes > [Domino effect: Once you drop a good idea, the rest will follow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loesje/domino-effect-once-you-drop-a-good-idea-the-rest-will-follow/) [Loesje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loesje/) > [My favorite characters are always the unpredictable ones, and with Domino, you literally never know which way the dice are going to roll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-simone/my-favorite-characters-are-always-the-unpredictable-ones-and-with/) [Gail Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-simone/) > [I was delivering pizzas at Domino's. I was 17 maybe. I liked it a lot. Just driving in the nice weather and listening to music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/i-was-delivering-pizzas-at-domino-s-i-was-17-maybe-i-liked-it-a-lot/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [I would listen to Little Richard and Fats Domino and Chuck Berry, and I would listen to how they played their riffs, and after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-wilson/i-would-listen-to-little-richard-and-fats-domino-and-chuck-berry-and/) [Brian Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-wilson/) > [In truth, in the fairy-tale version of bailing out Lehman, the next domino, A.I.G., would have fallen even harder. If the politics of bailing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ross-sorkin/in-truth-in-the-fairy-tale-version-of-bailing-out-lehman-the-next/) [Andrew Ross Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ross-sorkin/) > [Your next step is simple. You are the first domino.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-next-step-is-simple-you-are-the-first-domino/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“They call me Domino for obvious reasons. One nudge in the right direction and I'm flat on my stomach.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-cochrane/they-call-me-domino-for-obvious-reasons-one-nudge-in-the-right/) Charlie Cochrane > [“As I sat on the floor in the corner of the concrete block, it felt as if the last domino had fallen in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-heil/as-i-sat-on-the-floor-in-the-corner-of-the-concrete-block-it-felt-as/) [Michael J Heil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-heil/) > [Said you gone put it in yo mouf, I guess I'll sit back and enjoy da show, All you bitches going down so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-porter/said-you-gone-put-it-in-yo-mouf-i-guess-i-ll-sit-back-and-enjoy-da/) [Travis Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-porter/) > [As you have two more huge characters as Cable and Domino, 'Deadpool' is growing, and it's making 'X-Force' franchise bigger and bigger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-kapicic/as-you-have-two-more-huge-characters-as-cable-and-domino-deadpool-is/) [Stefan Kapicic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-kapicic/) > [“At a very rough estimate, the domino computer we built took six hours to set up and run, which means it could do four…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-parker/at-a-very-rough-estimate-the-domino-computer-we-built-took-six-hours/) [Matt Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-parker/) > [ “Sometimes, \[gift\] with depth is all. Memory.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monaristw/sometimes-gift-with-depth-is-all-memory/) Monaristw > [The Domino Effect could stand for anything. It could be just the simple game of the domino rocks falling off one after another, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-lionni/the-domino-effect-could-stand-for-anything-it-could-be-just-the/) [Leo Lionni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-lionni/) > [Domino is all about... as an actress and as the character that is going to be on the screen, you already allude to it:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-liefeld/domino-is-all-about-as-an-actress-and-as-the-character-that-is-going/) [Rob Liefeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-liefeld/) > [There's very much a domino effect when I'm playing. In fact, that's a good way of putting it. I'm trying to topple all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-lidell/there-s-very-much-a-domino-effect-when-i-m-playing-in-fact-that-s-a/) [Jamie Lidell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-lidell/) [Browse all 51 Domino quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/domino/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Find the lead domino, and whack away at it until it falls.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gary W. 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