“Essentialism – The Disciplined Pursuit of Less” is written by Greg McKeown. This was a really challenging book and a very good one to read especially now when I start this blog.
Here are the three main things that stuck out to me and I want to share them with you.
1. It’s about how to get the right things done
“Essentialism is not about how to get more things done; it’s about how to get the right things done. It doesn’t mean just doing less for the sake of less either. It is about making the wisest possible investment of your time and energy in order to operate at our highest point of contribution by doing only what is essential.”
2. A choice is not a thing
“We often think of choice as a thing. But a choice is not a thing. Our options may be things, but a choice—a choice is an action. It is not just something we have but something we do. This experience brought me to the liberating realisation that while we may not always have control over our options, we always have control over how we choose among them.”
“To become an Essentialist requires a heightened awareness of our ability to choose. We need to recognise it as an invincible power within us, existing separate and distinct from any other thing, person, or force. William James once wrote, ‘My first act of free will shall be to believe in free will’.”
3. It’s about living a life of meaning and purpose
“But the way of the Essentialist isn’t just about success; it’s about living a life of meaning and purpose. When we look back on our careers and our lives, would we rather see a long laundry list of “accomplishments” that don’t really matter or just a few major accomplishments”
If you already read it, let me know your favourite quote in the comments section below. If not I strongly recommend it.
Buy it from here
You can find the book on Amazon here:
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less
