I came across this book from by library app and I had never heard of it before. I read the description, looked it up a bit and found it is a good book and I can say that after reading, it did not disappoint. The book explains essentialism in a practical way and no; it is not about getting things less or meaninglessly cutting off tasks. It is about selecting the right things to do at right time.
Book review of Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
What is this book about?
As mentioned on the official website of Essentialism:
“In Essentialism, Greg McKeown draws on experience and insight from working with the leaders of the most innovative companies in the world to show how to achieve the disciplined pursuit of less.
By applying a more selective criteria for what is essential, the pursuit of less allows us to regain control of our own choices so we can channel our time, energy and effort into making the highest possible contribution toward the goals and activities that matter.
Essentialism isn’t one more thing; it is a different way of doing everything. It is a discipline you apply constantly, effortlessly. Essentialism is a mindset; a way of life. It is an idea whose time has come.”
The book is a self-help or personal development category(Also read: How To Develop Self-Discipline). It talks about how important it is to focus on absolutely important things and remove the unnecessary distractions. The common problem, McKeown says, is spotting the important things and prioritizing it. The word priority was formed a single most crucial thing you should focus your attention on. It is however humorous that this term is now used in its plural form which defeats the purpose.
If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will.
(Greg McKeown, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less)
McKeown further explores the difference between an essentialist and a non-essentialist. He gives fantastic and relatable examples from his life as well as from others to illustrate how functioning as a non-essentialist is harmful for both you and those around you. He says the primary difference in both of them is the one who says yes to everything and the other (the essentialist) says yes only to the things that matter.
He also tells that a non-essentialist will commit to everything and put his personal priorities on the side while that is opposite in case of the essentialist. Be it in work-life or personal life, a non-essentialist will try to do more by quick-fix solutions but an essentialist will focus on removing obstacles and nothing else. (Also read: A Quick Guide to Self-Improvement)
There are many such differences between an essentialist and non-essentialist which is contrasted nicely and well-explained with different examples. The author also gives us examples of famous people like Mahatma Gandhi who followed essentialism.
“We overvalue nonessentials like a nicer car or house, or even intangibles like the number of our followers on Twitter or the way we look in our Facebook photos. As a result, we neglect activities that are truly essential, like spending time with our loved ones, or nurturing our spirit, or taking care of our health.”
Greg McKeown – Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less
Finally, the book also tells us how to set out the important things in our life – like a routine of 8 hours of sleep, daily journal or playing or relaxing everyday to let our minds rest. In today’s clutter of notifications and social media, McKeown says, restfulness is the new prestige amongst businessmen and leaders.
Takeaways
Here are few takeaways from Essentialism: The disciplined pursuit of less by Greg McKeown
- Select and focus on absolute essential things
- Try to make one crucial decision that will eliminate hundreds of little ones
- Say no firmly, gracefully but resolutely – in order to focus on essential duties. Don’t say No to everything and agree to only what matters THE MOST
- As an essentialist, it is crucial to realize that sleep is priority. Sleep breeds creativity and play is important for relaxation
My favorite quotes from Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
“The way of the Essentialist means living by design, not by default. Instead of making choices reactively, the Essentialist deliberately distinguishes the vital few from the trivial many, eliminates the nonessentials, and then removes obstacles so the essential things have clear, smooth passage. In other words, Essentialism is a disciplined, systematic approach for determining where our highest point of contribution lies, then making execution of those things almost effortless.”
“The word priority came into the English language in the 1400s. It was singular. It meant the very first or prior thing. It stayed singular for the next five hundred years. Only in the 1900s did we pluralize the term and start talking about priorities.”
“Two most personal learnings that have come to me on the long journey of writing this book. The first is the exquisitely important role of my family in my life. At the very, very end, everything else will fade into insignificance by comparison. The second is the pathetically tiny amount of time we have left of our lives. For me this is not a depressing thought but a thrilling one. It removes fear of choosing the wrong thing. It infuses courage into my bones. It challenges me to be even more unreasonably selective about how to use this precious – and precious is perhaps too insipid a word – time.”
“You can do anything but not everything”
Have you read the book? How was your experience? Comment below