Essentialism - The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

Greg McKeown
The Essentialist
The way of the Essentialist means living by design, not by default. It is about
pausing constantly to ask, Am I investing in the right activities? If you don’t
prioritize your life, someone else will. Only once you give yourself permission to
stop trying to do it all, to stop saying yes to everyone, can you make your highest
contribution towards the things that really matter.
Essentialism is not about how to get more things done; it’s about how to get the
right things done.
The paradox of success
PHASE 1: When we really have clarity of purpose, it enables us to succeed at our
endeavour.
PHASE 2: When we have success, we gain a reputation as a “go to” person. We
become “good old [insert name],” who is always there when you need him, and
we are presented with increased options and opportunities.
PHASE 3: When we have increased options and opportunities, which is actually
code for demands up on our time and energies, it leads to diffused efforts. We get
spread thinner and thinner.
PHASE 4: We become distracted from what would otherwise be our highest
level of contribution. The effect of our success has been to undermine the very
clarity that led to our success in the first place.
The core mind-set of an Essentialist

Essentialist Nonessentialist
Clarify: One Has a strategy that is Has a vague, general vision
Decision That Makes concrete and inspirational or mission statement
a Thousand Has an intent that is both Has concrete quarterly
meaningful and objectives but ones that fail
memorable to energize or inspire
Makes one decision that people to take their efforts
eliminates one thousand to the next level
later decisions Has a value set but no
guiding principles for
implementing them
Choose: The Essentialist Exercises the Nonessentialist Forfeits the
invisible power of power of choice I choose right to choose I have to.
choice to.
Discern: The Thinks almost everything Thinks almost everything is
Unimportance of is nonessential essential
Practically Distinguishes the vital Views opportunities as
Everything few from the trivial many basically equal

Trade Off: Which Essentialist Asks, “How Nonessentialist Thinks, “I

Problem Do I Want? can I d o it all?” Asks, can do both.”
“What is the trade-off I
want to make?”
How to discern the trivial
many from the vital few
Escape: The Perks of Creates space to escape Is too busy to think about
Being Unavailable and explore life life
Look: See what re Pays attention to the Pays attention to the loudest
ally matters signal in the noise voice
Hears what is not being Hears everything being said
said Is overwhelmed by all the
Scans to find the essence information
of the information
Play: Embrace the Knows play is essential Thinks play is trivial
Wisdom of Your Knows play sparks Thinks play is an
Inner Child exploration unproductive waste of time
Sleep: Protect the One hour more of sleep One hour less of sleep
Asset equals several more hours equals one more hour of
of much higher productivity.
productivity. Sleep is for failures.
Sleep is for high Sleep is a luxury.
performers. Sleep breeds laziness.
Sleep is a priority. Sleep gets in the way of
Sleep breeds creativity. “doing it all.”
Sleep enables the highest
levels of mental
contribution.
Select: The Power of Says yes to only the top Says yes to almost every
Extreme Criteria 10 percent of request or opportunity
opportunities Uses broad, implicit criteria
Uses narrow, explicit “like
criteria “like “Is this “If someone I know is
exactly what I am looking doing it, I should do it.
for?
How to cut out the trivial
many
Clarify: One Has a strategy that is Has a vague, general vision
Decision That Makes concrete and inspirational or mission statement
a Thousand Has an intent that is both Has concrete quarterly
meaningful and objectives but ones that fail
memorable to energize or inspire
Makes one decision that people to take their efforts
eliminates one thousand to the next level
later decisions Has a value set but no
guiding principles for
implementing them
Dare: The Power of a Dares to say no firmly, Avoids saying no to avoid
Graceful “No” resolutely, and gracefully feeling social awkwardness
Says yes only to the and pressure
things that really matter Says yes to everything
Uncommit: Win Big Ask s, “If I weren’t Asks, “Why stop now when
by Cutting Your already invested in this I’ve already invested so
Losses project, how much would much in this project?”
I invest in it now?” Thinks, “If I just keep
Thinks, “What else could trying, I can make this
I do with this time or work.”
money if I pulled the plug Hates admitting to mistakes
now?”
Comfortable with cutting
losses
Edit: The Invisible Thinks that ma king Thinks that making things
Art things better means better means adding
subtracting something something
Eliminate s the distracting Attached to every word,
words, images, and details image, or detail
Limit: The Freedom Knows that if you have Thinks if you have limits
of Setting limits you will become you will be limited
Boundaries limitless Sees boundaries as
Sees boundaries as constraining
liberating Exerts effort attempting the
Sets rules in advance that direct “no”
eliminate the need for the
direct “no”
How to make doing the
vital few things almost
effortless
Buffer: The Unfair Builds in a buffer for Assumes the best-case
Advantage unexpected events scenario will happen
Practices extreme and Forces execution at the last
 early preparation minute
Subtract: Bring Forth Removes obstacles to Piles on quick-fix solutions
More by Removing progress Does more
Obstacles Brings forth more
Progress: The power Starts small and gets big Starts with a big goal and
of small wins results gets small results
Celebrates small acts of Goes for the flashiest wins
progress
Flow: The Genius of Designs a routine that Tries to execute the
Routine enshrines what is essentials by force
essential, making Allows nonessentials to be
execution almost the default
effortless
Makes the essential the
default position
Focus: What’s Mind is focused on the Mind is spinning out about
Important Now? present the past or the future
Tune s in to what is Thinks about what was
important right no w important yesterday or
Enjoys the moment tomorrow
Worries about the future or
stresses about the past
How to make doing Buffer: The Unfair Assumes the best-case
the vital few things Advantage scenario will happen
almost effortless Builds in a buffer for Forces execution at the last
unexpected events minute
Practices extreme and
early preparation
Be: The Essentialist Life