Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

  • Downloads:8101
  • Type:Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date:2021-04-05 09:52:30
  • Update Date:2025-09-06
  • Status:finish
  • Author:Greg McKeown
  • ISBN:0753558696
  • Environment:PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Summary

The life-changing international bestseller that started a global movement - now updated with the new 21-Day Essentialism Challenge and an exclusive excerpt from EFFORTLESS

Have you ever found yourself struggling with information overload?

Have you ever felt both overworked and underutilised?

Do you ever feel busy but not productive?

If you answered yes to any of these, the way out is to become an Essentialist。

In Essentialism, Greg McKeown, CEO of a Leadership and Strategy agency in Silicon Valley who has run courses at Apple, Google and Facebook, shows you how to achieve what he calls the disciplined pursuit of less。 Being an Essentialist is about a disciplined way of thinking。 It means challenging the core assumption of 'We can have it all' and 'I have to do everything' and replacing it with the pursuit of 'the right thing, in the right way, at the right time'。

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。

Using the experience and insight of working with the leaders of the most innovative companies and organisations in the world, McKeown shows you how to put Essentialism into practice in your own life, so you too can achieve something great。

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Reviews

Jo G

Insightful ways and examples to help eliminate non-essential distractions/activities from what we really value and wish to pursue - which will ultimately help to cultivate a life by design rather than by default。 Little bit repetitive at times, ironically perhaps could have been shorter。 Useful indexing to signpost towards original articles。 On the whole, worth a read if you find yourself always doing more/are always busy yet not productive。

isa

Tem um ou outro ponto interessante, mas no geral é só uma coleção de citações e contação de causo de pessoas em altas posições de privilégio。

Sanyam Sood

Book in 3-5 lines :-Essentialism is making "Less But BETTER" choices。 Supply of time and energy is limited, and the book is a guide to make the most out of these resources by prioritisation。 It's about living life with intention。 What I felt after reading the book :-I thought that almost everything is important and now realised that if everything is important, nothing is actually important。 So it becomes important to eliminate the non-essential to make room for what's truly essential。 Life's a z Book in 3-5 lines :-Essentialism is making "Less But BETTER" choices。 Supply of time and energy is limited, and the book is a guide to make the most out of these resources by prioritisation。 It's about living life with intention。 What I felt after reading the book :-I thought that almost everything is important and now realised that if everything is important, nothing is actually important。 So it becomes important to eliminate the non-essential to make room for what's truly essential。 Life's a zero sum game and tradeoffs are for real。Who should read it :-Anyone who wants to have clarity in life to what actually matters and what is important can't afford to ignore this peril。Favorite Quote (Paraphrased) :-You can avoid the reality of tradeoffs but you can't escape them。 。。。more

Felicia

Really good book!! I would recommend to anyone who feels like they’re always busy and because if that feels stressed out。 This book has made me reevaluate areas of my life, that perhaps need changing。 I also think all business leaders need to read this book in order to be successful。

Brian

A great read that summarizes a lot of techniques and ways of thinking that make life less stressful, correct common errors in the way we think and make it easier to make decisions that lead to a happier life。 At times it does get very repetitive and boring when he's going over a concept over and over again。 He also refers to people as essentialist or non-essentialist throughout the book which can get annoying and frankly a little cultish。 The book also could have been like 100 pages shorter with A great read that summarizes a lot of techniques and ways of thinking that make life less stressful, correct common errors in the way we think and make it easier to make decisions that lead to a happier life。 At times it does get very repetitive and boring when he's going over a concept over and over again。 He also refers to people as essentialist or non-essentialist throughout the book which can get annoying and frankly a little cultish。 The book also could have been like 100 pages shorter without much of a loss in its effectiveness。 However, this is a book I will be recommending to a lot of people because it summarizes a lot of the concepts which I believe in such as not living according to other people's idea of what success is, being mindful, being more minimal, correcting bad habits, not staying complacent, and many other important concepts in being a happier person。 。。。more

Sophie

Perhaps this book is just a great act of essentialist irony: it could’ve been summed up in the sentence (which is repeated throughout), “Do less, but better”。 Instead, it was long-winded and divisively preachy - the essentialist/non-essentialist dichotomy the author creates is condescending and doesn’t actually help readers to become essentialists。 Much of it was a rehash of other people’s work - Atomic Habits by James Clear does more-but-better in the same theme。

Stephie

The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non - essentials like this book。 I´m just going to leave a few keywords that came up to my mind because I won´t even bother writing a review。- 100% workaholic 90s kind of guy related- This is why we need real contemporary philosophers - Bill Gates examples, where he has the privilege to sit and read and think 1 week per month- Vice presidents and CEOs micromanagers who should allow themselves not to be in a meeting since they should be reading re The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non - essentials like this book。 I´m just going to leave a few keywords that came up to my mind because I won´t even bother writing a review。- 100% workaholic 90s kind of guy related- This is why we need real contemporary philosophers - Bill Gates examples, where he has the privilege to sit and read and think 1 week per month- Vice presidents and CEOs micromanagers who should allow themselves not to be in a meeting since they should be reading results。- Focused on productivity, rather than the fact of existing as a human being- A how-to life: absolutist with charts and low research efforts-The Torah and The Bible as interesting readings for philosophical approaches? A full no。 。。。more

Lisa Dahlke

But did you know he went to Stanford? And dropped out of law school to do grad school instead? At Stanford? Also, did you know you do better when you sleep? And when you plan before you do things?And that routine is good for you? I liked the first few chapters, but after that, it got repetitive and poorly organized。 Way too much non-essential content for a book about "essentialism", but I finished it so 3 stars。 But did you know he went to Stanford? And dropped out of law school to do grad school instead? At Stanford? Also, did you know you do better when you sleep? And when you plan before you do things?And that routine is good for you? I liked the first few chapters, but after that, it got repetitive and poorly organized。 Way too much non-essential content for a book about "essentialism", but I finished it so 3 stars。 。。。more

Francois

This book is an easy read。 I could relate to most chapters and I found it very valuable。 Like other reviewers pointed out, the information could be conveyed in fewer pages。 However, it is still a very worthy read because of the impact it can have on one’s life it the principles it teaches are adopted。 Read this early in your career。

Khrystyna Kolesnyk

Ввійде в мій особистий топ, як настільна для психічного здоров'я в організаціях, для людей сімейних, для лідерів。Тут і про фокус, і про цінності і про пріорітет, і про конструктивні зустрічі, навіть про сон і необхідність відпочинку, як захисту активів。Вплинула на мене ця маленька книга, як дозвіл відрізати зайве。Окремо виділю для себе, що на останніх кількох десятках сторінок, насичення добрими прикладами, метафорами, і корисностями зашкалює。 Розділ подяк не- есенціалістський, радше в дусі, що Ввійде в мій особистий топ, як настільна для психічного здоров'я в організаціях, для людей сімейних, для лідерів。Тут і про фокус, і про цінності і про пріорітет, і про конструктивні зустрічі, навіть про сон і необхідність відпочинку, як захисту активів。Вплинула на мене ця маленька книга, як дозвіл відрізати зайве。Окремо виділю для себе, що на останніх кількох десятках сторінок, насичення добрими прикладами, метафорами, і корисностями зашкалює。 Розділ подяк не- есенціалістський, радше в дусі, що ця вдячність є ознакою доброго здоров'я і добробуту автора。 。。。more

Antonio Gallo

Aveva 14 figli。 C’era stata una pandemia。 Aveva un fastidioso disturbo allo stomaco。 Stava prendendo lezioni di filosofia。 Lui era l’imperatore di Roma。 Il suo dominio si estendeva per circa 2,2 milioni di miglia quadrate e comprendeva oltre 120 milioni di persone per le quali era sia responsabile che incaricato di governare。 Come fece a gestire il tutto? Come fece senza perdere la testa? Sappiamo che una domanda ha giocato un ruolo enorme nel suo comportamento。 Riguarda l’essenzialità。 “La magg Aveva 14 figli。 C’era stata una pandemia。 Aveva un fastidioso disturbo allo stomaco。 Stava prendendo lezioni di filosofia。 Lui era l’imperatore di Roma。 Il suo dominio si estendeva per circa 2,2 milioni di miglia quadrate e comprendeva oltre 120 milioni di persone per le quali era sia responsabile che incaricato di governare。 Come fece a gestire il tutto? Come fece senza perdere la testa? Sappiamo che una domanda ha giocato un ruolo enorme nel suo comportamento。 Riguarda l’essenzialità。 “La maggior parte di ciò che diciamo e facciamo non è essenziale”, scrisse Marco Aurelio nelle sue famose “Meditazioni”。 “Se riesci a eliminare ciò che non è essenziale avrai più tempo e più tranquillità。 Chiediti in ogni momento: ‘È necessario?”Quanto o quanto poco lavori, dove vivi, come sono il tuo matrimonio o le tue relazioni, le tue idee politiche, come spendi i tuoi soldi, quali sono i tuoi obiettivi, il modo in cui è organizzata la tua vita, le cose che occupano spazio nel tuo cassetto della spazzatura, in una parola i pensieri che ti passano per la testa。 Chiediti su tutto ciò che fai, dici e pensi: “È necessario? È essenziale?” “Deve essere così?” “Perché lo sto facendo?” “Cosa succederebbe se cambiassi?”。 Ci chiediamo di continuo perché non facciamo del nostro meglio。 Ci chiediamo perché non siamo felici。 Ci chiediamo perché le cose sono difficili。 È perché stiamo facendo troppo, o stiamo facendo le cose sbagliate, anche nel modo sbagliato?Guardate l’intelligente e sintetico disegno della copertina del libro che ha scritto Greg McKeown su quell’arte o disciplina chiamata essenzialismo impiegata per acquisire non il di più, ma il meno: essentialismo。 A sinistra della immagine il caos, la confusione, la spazzatura。 A destra, nel cerchio, l’essenziale。 Una parola che, guarda caso, rivela la sua … essenzialità。Vogliamo arrivare in un luogo in cui la nostra vita possa essere definita da essa, un luogo dove possiamo fare solo ciò che deve essere fatto, nel modo migliore。 Bisognerà sentirsi a proprio agio nel dire “No”。 Significherà tagliare il grasso inutile dalla vita, forse anche ferire alcuni sentimenti。 Ma va bene。 Presto ci si renderà conto che quando diciamo di no a qualcosa, stiamo dicendo di sì a qualcos’altro。Viceversa, quando pensiamo di dire di sì a una cosa, dobbiamo capire tutte le cose a cui stiamo dicendo di no。 Quindi potremo far arrabbiare alcune persone dicendo di no, ma renderemo anche le altre persone molto più felici。 Importante è conoscere come funziona la “sintesi essenzialista”。 Quando non distinguiamo tra ciò che è e ciò che non è essenziale, come si decide a cosa dire si e a cosa dire di no? Di solito, per impostazione predefinita, filtriamo le opportunità in base a ciò che è più redditizio o più impressionante。 Ricordiamoci di quello che disse Seneca:“Ci viene detto che la vita è breve e l’arte è lunga … Non è che abbiamo poco tempo da vivere, ma che ne sprechiamo molto。 La vita è abbastanza lunga e ce ne è stata data una quantità sufficientemente generosa per il risultato migliore soltanto se il tempo fosse tutto ben investito。Quando è sprecato nel lusso incurante e speso in nessuna buona attività, siamo poi costretti dall’ultima costrizione della morte a renderci conto che è passato prima che sapessimo che stava passando。 Così è: non ci viene data una vita breve, ma la rendiamo breve。 Non siamo mal forniti, ma ne sprechiamo。 Proprio come quando una ricchezza ampia e principesca cade su un cattivo proprietario, viene sperperata in un attimo, ma ricchezza comunque modesta, se affidata a un buon custode, aumenta con l’uso, quindi la nostra vita si allunga ampiamente se gestita adeguatamente “。Una cosa in cui la pandemia ci ha aiutato è che ci ha mostrato, nella maggior parte dei casi senza il nostro consenso, cosa significa fare di meno。 Meno voli。 Meno cene fuori。 Meno incontri。 Meno reddito。 Meno commissioni。 Si potrebbe sostenere che COVID-19 è stato il più grande esperimento di stile di vita forzato nella storia。 Ha infranto così tante delle nostre supposizioni su ciò che è e non è essenziale。Ma questa cosa non può essere fatta da remoto, a distanza? Certo che sì。 Oh, non potrei vivere senza i miei bambini。 Bene, ora devi tenerteli tu a casa ed accudirli ed educarli。 Oh, non avrò mai tempo per fare quello voglio。 OK, eccolo qui。 Hai tutto il tempo che vuoi, sei in isolamento。 Abbiamo dovuto pagare con meno。Abbiamo dovuto reinventare il modo in cui venivano fatte le cose。 Abbiamo dovuto riorganizzare tutto。 Alcune parti di questo comportamento sono state difficili da sopportare。 Alcune imposizioni ci hanno reso tristi e soli。 Ma altre parti sono state decisamente liberatorie。 Questo è il problema di “less”, “meno”, per questa ragione chiediamo a Marco Aurelio la versione della domanda: è necessario?Perché per quanto siano stati duri gli ultimi mesi di un isolamento che continua, significa anche che abbiamo la possibilità di continuare a pensare a noi stessi, a guardare altri tramonti dalla veranda sul retro di casa, altre cene in tranquillità, altre scritture più mirate, su argomenti più importanti, nuovi contatti a distanza che dovranno essere confermati di persona, più apprezzamento per le persone e le cose che contano veramente。“Fare l’essenziale”, ha detto Marco, “porta una doppia soddisfazione: fare di meno, meglio”。 Quindi prendiamoci un minuto oggi e facciamoci la domanda di Marco。 È necessario? È essenziale? Ho davvero bisogno di farlo? E se avessi detto di no? E se avessi rinunciato? Cosa succederebbe?Troveremo la risposta。 In molti casi, è no, non è essenziale。 Non è importante, né necessario。 E dicendo di no, non stiamo “sottraendoci” alle nostre responsabilità。 Al contrario, siamo più in forma, meglio in grado di adempiere effettivamente ai nostri doveri importanti: verso la famiglia, il lavoro, noi stessi e anche verso gli altri。 E questo è il vero doppio vantaggio。 。。。more

DJ

This is about as close to how I want to live as anything I've read。 I have much to learn still but I too desire "less but better。" It also made me feel better about only owning two pairs of pants。 This is about as close to how I want to live as anything I've read。 I have much to learn still but I too desire "less but better。" It also made me feel better about only owning two pairs of pants。 。。。more

Yana

A good one, for me personally, it confirmed that my “no” in recent years was the right choice for many things and that if we do not define for ourselves what is really important for us, someone will do it instead of us。“Remember that if you don’t prioritize your life someone else will”。“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 o A good one, for me personally, it confirmed that my “no” in recent years was the right choice for many things and that if we do not define for ourselves what is really important for us, someone will do it instead of us。“Remember that if you don’t prioritize your life someone else will”。“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”。“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”。“What if we stopped celebrating being busy as a measurement of importance? What if instead we celebrated how much time we had spent listening, pondering, meditating, and enjoying time with the most important people in our lives?”“Essentialists see trade-offs as an inherent part of life, not as an inherently negative part of life。 Instead of asking, “What do I have to give up?” they ask, “What do I want to go big on?”“Today, technology has lowered the barrier for others to share their opinion about what we should be focusing on。 It is not just information overload; it is opinion overload”。“Sometimes what you don’t do is just as important as what you do”。“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”。“If it isn’t a clear yes, then it’s a clear no”。“Just because I was invited didn’t seem a good enough reason to attend”。“The reality is, saying yes to any opportunity by definition requires saying no to several others”。 。。。more

Lindsay Veilleux

I found this book super interesting with lots of actionable advice on how to create and lead a simpler and more meaningful life - would recommend!!

Lígia Penia

This book is AMAZING。 It was for sure one of my favorite books on self development。 We need to become aware of what we are bringing to our life, choosing well to take good care of what is most important。 Being away of things that just use us and don't add to us to LIVE a life of purpose and consistency。 This book is AMAZING。 It was for sure one of my favorite books on self development。 We need to become aware of what we are bringing to our life, choosing well to take good care of what is most important。 Being away of things that just use us and don't add to us to LIVE a life of purpose and consistency。 。。。more

Naara

I really liked this book, It actually is my first book about self growth, It is really light but for a newbie like me, it was really tiring。But I think it is giving you a lot of insights and a lot of points, so you can improve your professional and personal life。I will reread it but with a notebook and a pen in hand。

Jake Meadows

Useful mindsets, but repetitive or self-evident at times。 The writing style was a bit preachy for my tastes too。 But ultimately the ideas in the book are useful for navigating a cluttered world with many people & projects vying for your attention。

Angela Paciello

This book inspired me so much and this is the reason why my copy now, as I've just finished, it's full of notes。 Greg McKeowen is really concreate, direct to the point and so Essential。 The greatest funny fact is that I was inspired by the Steve Job's biography (Isaacson one) to explore Essentialism and so I found this Book。 Well, Greg speaks about Steve Jobs several times and also thanks him at the end of the book。 This is the reason why I follow the readings flow。 People are connected。 This book inspired me so much and this is the reason why my copy now, as I've just finished, it's full of notes。 Greg McKeowen is really concreate, direct to the point and so Essential。 The greatest funny fact is that I was inspired by the Steve Job's biography (Isaacson one) to explore Essentialism and so I found this Book。 Well, Greg speaks about Steve Jobs several times and also thanks him at the end of the book。 This is the reason why I follow the readings flow。 People are connected。 。。。more

Jay

Some useful tips, got about half way through and abandoned it。

Freya

3。5 Can't dispute much in here。 Could have been shorter - a bit of repetition but much to mull over 3。5 Can't dispute much in here。 Could have been shorter - a bit of repetition but much to mull over 。。。more

Valerie Mcconnell

This book has just changed my whole way of looking and thinking about things。 It has earned a place on my To Be Read Again Shelf

Eric Litster

Spoiler alert/my takeaways:Read spiritual books。 Write in your journal。 “If it’s not a yes, it’s a no。”There cannot be multiple priorities。

Fulya

Interesting concept, presented in an easy to digest layout。 I think a must for everyone in today's world。 Light and easy to grasp。 Interesting concept, presented in an easy to digest layout。 I think a must for everyone in today's world。 Light and easy to grasp。 。。。more

Jordan Cannon

I heard so many people recommending this book as being life changing so I was very much looking forward to reading it。 I really wanted to like this book and have it live up to its hype but unfortunately I was left quite disappointed。 I found the book to be incredibly repetitive and lacking depth。 Let me first of all point out that how McKeown came about his own essentialism journey was that he decided to go to a meeting instead of being there for his wife hours after their child was born。 It doe I heard so many people recommending this book as being life changing so I was very much looking forward to reading it。 I really wanted to like this book and have it live up to its hype but unfortunately I was left quite disappointed。 I found the book to be incredibly repetitive and lacking depth。 Let me first of all point out that how McKeown came about his own essentialism journey was that he decided to go to a meeting instead of being there for his wife hours after their child was born。 It doesn't take an essentialist to work out what the correct response was here。 Firstly let's discuss the issue of the book lacking substance。 The book referenced numerous well-known social theories but provided no new angle to them。 Instead they seemed to just be regurgitated concepts that have been well explored in a vast array of existing literature。 I found that I learned nothing new from this book that I hadn't already heard about in previous self development books。 Eg。 sunk cost bias, the Stanford prison experiment, benefits of journalling, ensuring you make time to read, the importance of prioritization, how important sleep is, the ineffectiveness of multi-tasking etc。I understand this could mean that it would make a great beginners book, which I do think it could be great to introduce you to key social science concepts。 While the concept of essentialism is good in theory, it is a mixture of many pre-existing constructs。 As for the issue of repetition, the key concepts explained over and over again saying the same thing。 Not only that but some sections of the book were verbatim repeated throughout the book。 It was like groundhog day。 I strongly agree with the reviews that say this entire book could have been condensed into a blog article。 The irony of that of course being that this is a book on essentialism yet it was written in the most non-essential way。 I really enjoyed the concept of the book but the execution of ideas could have been much better。 Nothing new here。 Just a collection of empty ancedotes。 。。。more

Tatiane Mendonça

O livro é uma boa introdução para quem quer começar a introduzir o minimalismo em sua vida。

Ryser7 Ryser

Motivated me to evaluate my time and energies since Covid restrictions are lifting。 What can I continue to give up that is nonessential? Great and timely book for me

Tim Hughes

I was recommended “The essentialism - the discipline pursuit of less” in summary it’s a book how to do as little as possible。 Not how to be lazy, but to do just what is essential。We have all been in a two meeting, where we have thought “this could have been an email”。 While sitting there we realise that a colleague isn’t there。 Next day, they call up and say “so what happened in that meeting I missed?” and you distill that 2 hours into 2 minutes。That person is an essentialist。Greg McKeown takes I was recommended “The essentialism - the discipline pursuit of less” in summary it’s a book how to do as little as possible。 Not how to be lazy, but to do just what is essential。We have all been in a two meeting, where we have thought “this could have been an email”。 While sitting there we realise that a colleague isn’t there。 Next day, they call up and say “so what happened in that meeting I missed?” and you distill that 2 hours into 2 minutes。That person is an essentialist。Greg McKeown takes you through a journey, that will allow you to differentiate between the noise and signal of the time in your life。 How you can eliminate wasted time and processes you can put in place so you can focus your time so that you start using it wisely。 One such example, is the use of routine so that your mind is used for the important things, rather than using brain power on the mundane。 。。。more

Rahul

In reading books of this nature I try to find the authors way in to the field。 The advice is typically broad enough to be generally applicable so i’m more intrigued by the type of person that writes a book about a way of life。 In this case, the author was a journalist and his best advice is framed from this perspective。 In addition to his thoughts on play and sleep, I will incorporate the concepts of journaling。 Other later chapters are better explored elsewhere (Good to Great, Atomic Habits)。 I In reading books of this nature I try to find the authors way in to the field。 The advice is typically broad enough to be generally applicable so i’m more intrigued by the type of person that writes a book about a way of life。 In this case, the author was a journalist and his best advice is framed from this perspective。 In addition to his thoughts on play and sleep, I will incorporate the concepts of journaling。 Other later chapters are better explored elsewhere (Good to Great, Atomic Habits)。 I would recommend for anyone who has become frustrated by the steady creep of work into their personal life。 Find the time and space to learn what’s important and forget the rest。 。。。more

Ashley

This was so good! Such helpful and important principles taught here。 Here and there I wish he would have delved deeper into a few things, and I wish he had applied it more generally (not just mostly to business)。 But I learned a lot and i will definitely be coming back to this again and again。 Especially right now, I really need the "if it's not a definite YES, it's a NO。" :) This was so good! Such helpful and important principles taught here。 Here and there I wish he would have delved deeper into a few things, and I wish he had applied it more generally (not just mostly to business)。 But I learned a lot and i will definitely be coming back to this again and again。 Especially right now, I really need the "if it's not a definite YES, it's a NO。" :) 。。。more

Omar Fernández

It could have been shorter, but I found that the stories and the length dedicated to the chapters and various points helped illustrate things effectively。 I'll read this book again as needed to truly internalize its message, in particular, when the temptation of doing "more things" comes up。 It could have been shorter, but I found that the stories and the length dedicated to the chapters and various points helped illustrate things effectively。 I'll read this book again as needed to truly internalize its message, in particular, when the temptation of doing "more things" comes up。 。。。more