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TOM BEAL
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less
Audible Audiobook – Unabridged
Greg McKeown (Author, Narrator), Random House Audio (Publisher)
4.6 out of 5 stars
#1 Best Seller in Time Management
Have you ever been stretched thin? Do you find yourself feeling overwhelmed and under-utilized? Are you constantly busy and not productive? Do you feel that your time is always diverted by the agendas of others? If you answered "yes" to one of these, your solution lies in following to follow the Way of the Essentialist. This Way of the Essentialist isn't about doing more in a shorter amount of time. It's about getting the most important things accomplished. It's not a time management plan or a productivity method. It's a methodical approach to identify what is vital, and then eliminating all that isn't in order to be the best possible contributor to the things that truly are important.
In requiring us to use an individualized set of criteria to determine what is essential and what is not, the strict pursuit of fewer responsibilities allows us to be in the power to make our own decisions regarding where we spend your precious energy and time and not give people the power to make our decisions for us. Essentialism is not just another thing - it's an entire new method of doing things. It's about doing fewer things, however, it is better across all aspects of our lives. essentialism is a concept which is in need of a new direction.
I read this 1-2 times every year to keep my balance.
Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2017
My title sounds like I'm lying - who would read a book that many times? But honestly, this has become my go-to book whenever I feel overwhelmed with life. It helps me simplify - but so much more than just that. It helps me analyze my current projects and focus on the 2-3 that will 1) help the most people, 2) have the greatest impact, and 3) be the kind of work I want to be known for. I just published my own book tonight and then I decided to pay it forward by reviewing the books that have helped me focus and get this book done after 3.5 years. Two weeks ago I went to read Essentialism again (I was feeling overwhelmed with publishing stress) and then realized I have already read it twice this year. :) What can I say, it's become a staple book in my reading diet.
262 people found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2014
For sure, this is one of the best books i've read recently. And it deserve the 5 starts, here is some key takeaways:
"If you have a big presentation coming up over the next few weeks or months, open a file right now and spend four minutes starting to put down any ideas. Then close the file. No more than four minutes. Just start it."
" MIX UP YOUR ROUTINES It’s true that doing the same things at the same time, day after day, can get boring. To avoid this kind of routine fatigue, there’s no reason why you can’t have different routines for different days of the week. Jack Dorsey, the cofounder of Twitter and founder of Square, has an interesting approach to his weekly routine. He has divided up his week into themes. Monday is for management meetings and “running the company” work. Tuesday is for product development. Wednesday is for marketing, communications, and growth. Thursday is for developers and partnerships. Friday is for the company and its culture.9 This routine helps to provide calmness amid the chaos of a high-growth start-up. It enables him to focus his energy on a single theme each day instead of feeling pulled into everything. He adheres to this routine each week, no exceptions, and over time people learn this about him and can organize meetings and requests around it."
“In work, do what you enjoy. In family life, be completely present.”
“Mindfulness helps you go home to the present. And every time you go there and recognize a condition of happiness that you have, happiness comes.”
"The Prophet Muhammad lived an essential life that included mending his own shoes and clothes and milking his own goat and taught his followers in Islam to do the same."
Henry David Thoreau (who wrote, “I do believe in simplicity. It is astonishing as well as sad, how many trivial affairs even the wisest thinks he must attend to in a day; … so simplify the problem of life, distinguish the necessary and the real”).
"While other people are padding their résumés and building out their LinkedIn profiles, you will be building a career of meaning."
"The life of an Essentialist is a life lived without regret. If you have correctly identified what really matters, if you invest your time and energy in it, then it is difficult to regret the choices you make. You become proud of the life you have chosen to live."
"If you take one thing away from this book, I hope you will remember this: whatever decision or challenge or crossroads you face in your life, simply ask yourself, “What is essential?” Eliminate everything else."
342 people found this helpful
The Wild OliveTop Contributor: Jigsaw Puzzles
Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2017
I "met" Greg at an online summit and thoroughly enjoyed his talk so I bought this book. Essentialism should be required reading for everyone living in a high paced, high tech, Cult of Busyness society. As a writer, I don't agree with the few reviewers who found this book simplistic, repetitive or poorly written. The message is simple but profound, and I find Greg's writing style to be clear, engaging, conversational, and encouraging. Every chapter was full of "ah ha" actionable moments for both my husband and me. In fact, I typed up 15 pages of "takeaway points" and follow up actions we want to implement in our lives. this book is going on my Hall of Fame shelf with a handful of other books that have had a profound impact on my life.
68 people found this helpful
faridrunsTop Contributor: Running
Not for everyone, but provides unique principles to filter through the "noise"
Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2017
In today's work ecosystem of forced multitasking, being "busy" all the time, and never feeling comfortable saying "no", Essentialism provides unique principles for sorting through the noise and figuring out what is truly "essential". The author himself says brilliantly that "essentialism is not one more thing -- it's a whole new way of doing everything". The key principles that I have uncovered from this book are the following:
(1) Work effectively, not efficiently (the latter does not imply that you are working on THE most important things)
(2) Learn to say no to things (personal, work, etc) and take greater control of your life
(3) Actively funnel to-do's, requests, etc through an internal "essential" test to decide whether something is truely important and should be done at all
One caveat, similar to many books in this genre. If you are a low-ranking associate at your job, you will find it difficult to implement a fair number of these strategies Day 1 (e.g. "how the hell am I supposed to do this while working at a [law firm / bank / advertising agency / etc]). That being said, the principles are still worth reading and keeping with you, because as you grow more senior in your role (even if you're just managing one person initially), they will become incrementally more valuable
44 people found this helpful
Essential book for your library.
Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2019
I read between 30 and 40 books per year, and this is in the top 10 books I’ve ever read. HIGHLY recommended for anyone looking to master the essential and ditch the trivial. Practical, simple thinking and actions that will allow you to regain full control of your life and be fully responsible for your outcomes.
Great book. Highly recommended.
Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2019
Not sure how I found this book, but very glad I did. One way I look at to determine if I’m going to give a book a five star rating is that once I start it, every other book gets set aside until I finish it. That’s what happened with me here. Great book. Well written, captivating, and timed well for what’s going on in my life right now. Subtitled “the disciplined pursuit of less”, he describes how we so often say “yes” to everything, then have so much going on in our lives that nothing ever gets our true focus and attention. How can we give our best in any area when we’re being pulled in so many different directions? We can’t. We need to identify what is truly important, learn to say no to things that don’t fit into the “essential” category, and simplify our lives. It’s a step by step program detailing how to do that, and it’s a great read. Highly recommended.
11 people found this helpful
Actionable Book for a Meaningful Lifestyle
Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2018
It's an inspiring book: Greg comforts us in the process of achieving more meaningful outcomes by focusing on less activities. The book is written in a clear, logical, and actionable fashion. There are way more than a handful gems in this book, making me want to read it twice in order to better record and take specific notes to apply them accordingly.
As we can see from the table of contents, the book is wisely divided into 4 parts: Essencial, Exploration, Elimination, and Execution. They make sense, and each is broken into short chapters, expressing in a clear manner why it is important to focus on the most important aspects in life, and how to achieve that.
As I said earlier, there are many highlights, but one of them was remarkable right in the beginning of the book. Greg compares the way of the Nonessentialist with the way of the Essentialist. He expresses that the energy spent by the Nonessentialist is divided into many different activities, resulting in an unfulfilling experience of making a small progress in many directions. The energy of the Essentialist, however, is focused on few activities, resulting in a more satisfying experience, and therefore making significant progress in the things that matter most.
To achieve that, he says, the Essentialist learns how to distinguish the vital few from the trivial many, removing obstacles so the essentials can flourish. It's a designed lifestyle, a systematic approach for determining where our highest point of contribution lies in order to execute them almost effortless.
As a conclusion, I highly recommend this book, specially this time and age where we have been bombarded with too much information and activities fighting with themselves for our limited attention, disrupting our precious focus.
Haical
12 people found this helpful
Decision making tools to help us focus on what’s important
Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2021
The simple premise of the book is pretty straight forward: it is only after we stop trying to do everything and stop saying yes to everyone, that we can direct our energy to the few things that really matter to us, the essentials.
It is about priority, the discipline pursuit of less, about getting the right things done, and doing them mindfully and wholesomely. And everything else become fairly insignificant.
I must admit that while reading the early chapters I was at first skeptical of this book, as its simple message is just another minimalism mantra that I’ve already read in several books. But as I read on, I soon realize that McKeown relies more on data and scientific findings rather than just the general zen feeling of the outcome (which have profoundly changed my life nonetheless). And the more the book progresses the more practical it gets, which starts with the concept of trade-offs.
In a perfect world we can easily eliminate all of the non-essentials. But we don’t live in a perfect world, and instead in every decision that we make we will more likely to face trade-offs. As McKeown explains, “by definition, a trade-off involves two things we want. Do you want more pay or more vacation time? Do you want to finish this next e-mail or be on time to your meeting? Do you want it done faster or better?” “Obviously”, McKeown continues, “when faced with the choice between two things we want, the preferred answer is yes to both. But as much as we’d like to, we simply cannot have it all.”
So yes, most of the time we have to choose. And this just happens to be the core specialty of this book: the intricate process of decision making.
The book provides us with the scientific and psychological researches about the underlying determinants behind our decision making process - such as learned helplessness, Pareto Principle, the Power Law theory, sunk-cost bias, or Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s flow - and guide us to the process of (re)gaining control over our options.
It then teaches us several decision making skills, such as to look at information like a journalist (by following a lead, by listening to what is not being said, by finding the essence of the information), or the 90 Percent Rule (if it’s not a hell yeah, then it’s a no - only the 90% mark out of 100% will do), or decluttering methods that would make Marie Kondo blushed, or simple methods like clarifying our purpose so that it’s changed from pretty clear to really clear.
It then analyzes some crucial factors of decision making such as the power of sleep, with the short chapter on sleep provides a more compacted findings than the 2 books on sleep that I’ve read. The fact that this book put the science of sleep into the overall context of Essentialism makes it relatively more actionable that Shawn Stevenson’s and Ariana Huffington’s excellent stand alone book on the subject.
For example, to succeed at something we need to put 10,000 hours of hard work on it (a theory founded by K. Anders Ericsson by studying violinists, and popularised by Malcolm Gladwell). But this book provides the 2nd part of the study that was rarely highlighted: that the very best violinists actually sleep an average of 8.6 hours. It was sleep that gave them the edge.
Moreover, the book also provides so many tools for the execution, including the very useful “buffer” theory and the “slowest hiker” efficiency, that ensure our execution can be efficient and precise. It also highlighted the importance of routines to switch our task to Basal Ganglia part of the brain and make it automatic and thus freeing up our minds (akin to Charles Duhigg's Power of Habits), and a sub-chapter on triggers that would make Marshall Goldsmith proud.
The book also provides an abundance of many more examples from various walks of life, with examples from the morning routines of some of the most successful people, to the investment decisions of Warren Buffett (whom owes 90% of his wealth only from 10 investments), what Stephen R. Covey did for his daughter (that leaves a profound inspiration for my parenting style), how Britain and Norway handle their oil proceeds differently, to what Nelson Mandela did in his 27 years in prison (eliminating everything non-essential including his resentment to work on 1 clear goal: to eliminate apartheid in South Africa), or how the right NO spoken at the right time can change the course of history (such as the bus incident with Rosa Parks).
Neurologically speaking our attention span, willpower, and cognitive bandwidth are not unlimited. Hence, it is only by focusing on the essentials that we can produce deep work, flows, and other things that lead to extraordinary performances. In fact, one of the biggest differences between the average person and billionaires and top athletes is that they prioritize their time and effort differently. And this book gives us the clarity on how to do them.
2 people found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2020
I originally purchased this book on Audible, but loved it so much, I bought a hard copy as well. I am a voracious reader and have simply inhaled this book. I am on my THIRD reading as I write this. I particularly love how the author says something like how just the word "priorities" is an oxymoron of sorts. Just the definition of the word "priority" means something that is most important - so you cannot have more than one thing that is most important. I am putting into practice various of the author's suggestions, and my life already seems more manageable. I no longer over commit and take time to think before agreeing. My husband, who is not very big into self-help books, has even read it - after I suggested he read it - a few times! That says a lot!!
6 people found this helpful
This book validated my thoughts about my approach to life
Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2019
I always felt like less is more, etc. but society and people never made me feel like it was ok to think that way. Even back in elementary school where you get essay assignments that require a certain amount of words to make a point. Maybe that is where I learned that in order to make things better, you have to ADD to them. Not any more. This book validated my thoughts as i got older that to make things better means, most of the time, to take things away.
Now, after reading this book, I have the tools to live life confidently as an essentialist, which is what I believed I was anyway without knowing the term, and fully embrace the simple life. Thank you, Greg!!!
7 people found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2017
It seems everyone has too much to do. The statement of "I am so busy" is a badge of honor. But have you ever thought doing less would lead to doing more? This is the foundational mindset of this book. This book was a quick read, and a needed book for all people. We are always connected, always in touch, and perhaps always distracted from that which counts. Too ofte, we allow the little to overtake the important. This book provides motivation and tools to refine your life to one that is dedicated to the major shifts of your priorities. "If you do not prioritize your life, someone else will." There are four major phrases to being an essentialism. The author walks your through those phrases, and provides help in accomplishing them. Because we are in a societal shift. "For the first time— literally— substantial and rapidly growing numbers of people have choices. For the first time, they will have to manage themselves. And society is totally unprepared for it.” Here is another interesting insight. "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." Because of these factors, people need to be intentional about time and focus. This book does a great job of helping in this skill. This is a book that I highly recommend because it is highly needed.
12 people found this helpful
CharlieTop Contributor: Philosophy
Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2021
The theme of Essentialism is to focus on what's important. This may seem obvious, but most people will agree from simple introspection that it is more difficult than it sounds. Greg McKeown explores why this is so and provides remedies for common obstacles.
McKeown starts by elaborating on the importance of choice and the inevitable result that if you do not make choices, somebody else will make them for you. This leads to the significance of thinking and determining what is important. He emphasizes not to make simple to-do lists, but to ensure lists contain meaningful tasks. Once this is established, the next obstacle is to remove the noise, the continuous disruptions. Another key point is to do things incrementally, focus on small improvements, and consistently obtain them.
Similar to many self-improvement books, Essentialism contains a lot of helpful and insightful information but the difficulty lies in implementing it into one's life. But even if you only pick up a few productive tips, it will create an improved life and therefore is well worth the read. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed but not making meaningful progress towards your goals, this book will surely help. I enjoyed it and look forward to reading his new book.
A book so good and topic so close to my heart, I wish I had written it.
Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2021
The topic of living a life of meaning and the pursuit of the essential has been my quest for at least 45 years. This resonated with me even more after the death of my daughter—recognizing how short our time in this life really is, and how much is spent in things that really don’t matter that much. As has been said so often that it can almost become cliché, time is the one resource that cannot be replaced; why spend it running after that which can be replaced?
I am impressed with how well thought out this book is, and the balance between the philosophical and the practical, which felt very good. Also, the personal nature of McKeown’s appeal and his vulnerability in the stories he shares, without making it about him, inspires and adds weight to his points. While he also utilizes stories and names of successful people in his examples and arguments, he also mentions many people less well-known (at least to me), which actually makes it more relatable to the average person such as me.
I also like the way he leaves it to his readers to decide and identify what is important or essential to them. This way the reader has to really do the work for themselves of choosing what they will focus on and what they will let go of in their life. At the same time, he makes it clear in the stories what he values and how he strives to live it out.
I recommend this book for anyone who, like me, has become weary of chasing squirrels, herding cats, or has felt compelled to go after every opportunity rather than make a commitment to The One that means the most to them. Greg’s (relative) youth and passion for this topic prove that you do not have to wait till you have come to the end of one’s life or experience the loss of something or someone important in order to see the importance of identifying and pursuing the essential for themselves.
High praise for this book. Thank you, Greg McKeown!
One person found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2018
It is the end of July and I have read almost 30 books this year in an attempt to read 52 books in 52 weeks. Most of the books have been professional/personal development books and /or autobiographies of people who inspire me. I stumbled upon this title by reading a blog post about the most influential books for millennials. I am so happy I added it to my list. I can honestly say it is the best book I've read so far. It was very well-written, straight forward, and above all-ACTIONALBE. The author provided research and numerous examples of each facet of essentialism and there was hardly any fluff. I usually take 2 to 3 days to finish a book, but this book took me a couple of weeks. I was soaking each chapter in, but I found myself doing exactly what this book says we shouldn't do! I was trying to read multiple books at a time in addition to other things and I lost track of what's important. This book made realize the error of my ways and I feel so much better. I will probably read this book at least 2 more times to ensure I've implemented every useful tip into my lifestyle. I'm eager to reap the benefits of taking action! I recommend this book without reservation to any and everyone.
5 people found this helpful
A must read - a true business book gem!
Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2020
I read extensively. My business mentor mentioned this book during a recent conversation and I decided to get a copy and read it myself. I was only one or two chapters in and found it so valuable I started recommending it to my clients (various business leaders, business owners). I finished the book in days. I own two businesses, workout 2-3 times a day and have two little kids (so time is very short!). This book really helps you to distill what is most important, the importance of saying no, so that you can say yes and truly make the most of your time and days. This is not a recipe type book that tells you how to do things - as in a formulaic approach to your life. It is a book that will help you make better choices per your priorities. You will be inspired to do so through the anecdotal stories and delighted by the structure of the book...short sections that are compelling and easy to read in a few minutes.
One person found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2019
"less is better"
If it's not 100% yes, then it's a "no."
Questions or points this has helped me to ponder.
1. If I didn't own this how much would I spend to buy it? Also, if I didn't have this opportunity how much would I work to make sure I get it?
2. What if instead of celebrating busy we "celebrated how much time we spent listening, pondering, meditation and enjoying time with the most important people in our lives?
3. Play doesn't just help us explore what is essential. It is essential in and of itself.
4. It takes asking tough questions, making real trade-offs and exercising serious discipline to cut out the competing priorities that distract us from our true intentions.
2 people found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2018
This practice, or way of life, challenges many of the assumptions underlying that many of our daily choices and behaviors. Essentialism asks you to know your heart-mind well, to be intentional with crystal clarity, and to make your moment-to-moment choices from this place. In this you are likely not following such popular paths as trying to do it all, choosing everything from fear of missing out, making a mistake, disappointing others, or becoming unexceptional. It brings the driving force of our lives back to our own personal, individual, often Idiosyncratic selves. It frees us to be our best selves according to our own assessment. Loved the many references to current research on flow, mindfulness and brain sciences to bolster his advice.
5 people found this helpful
Do more with less by focusing on what matters
Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2020
I purchased both the kindle and Audio version of the book. I scanned the kindle but listened intently to the Audiobook. Lately, I find there are many things that attract my attention. I fist was introduced the book through a Lindedin book club webinar...
After reading the book, I do wish I had been exposed much earlier in life. It is intuitive; the quality of activity supercedes the quantity of activity. I have begun to practice more of the principals... while I am not completely rehabilitated yet... I am moving in the right direction. Fewer more meaningful actions supportng my life goals. Great read
A guide for focusing on what is most essential and eliminating the rest.
Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2015
Essentialism by Greg McKeown is the perfect compliment to Getting Things Done by David Allen. The latter has you gather all those things that clutter your brain and make a decision to Delete, Delegate, Defer or Do them right now. Essentialism begins with a much smaller list making choices for only things that are essential to your major goal, a goal that brings out the best contribution you can make with the life you have been given. When making a choice about a job, a task, a material purchase Essentialism encourages you to stop, leave some space between the choice and your decision to decide whether the choice will advance your goal and what will you have to give up to make the choice. Essentialism clarifies how the great leaders can accomplish what seems impossible since they focus on and make choices that are all geared toward the task that deem essential.
9 people found this helpful
Practical advice for the "busy"
Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2015
I bought this Audible book to learn better ways of coping with the extraneous, unimportant things in my life. I have in the past, secretly worn my "busy" badge of honor, proudly. It was only recently that I saw how ridiculous it was that I thought being busy meant that I was making good choices, because after all, I was "doing something!"
This book contains tons of practical advice to help you identify and remove non-essential tasks from your life. It even provided scripts to more gracefully say "no" when saying no is difficult. This book really resonated with me because it is well-written and there are tons of wise quotes you'll want to annotate.
11 people found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2017
I am 72. I have taken parts of this book and applied them to my life. It’s never to late to learn new ways of making your life more satisfying. Read and re read this book frequently. It is a book to be studied as you become able to do less but do it better. Essentialism is amazing. It really feels like a Happy New Year. Make notes and review them often while you reshape your life.
20 people found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2019
In recent roles especially in technology I've been in positions that demand tremendous amounts of breadth and depth to cover areas of responsibility. Some of this comes with the territory in being involved with smaller organizations where you have to wear "multiple hats." Also, much of this comes from our pace of life, requiring energy being spent in all directions with personal, professional and family priorities often in competition with each other.
Essentialism was a special book in that it enabled me to more take comfort in the idea that less is more. The notion is to truly focus on being 100% committed to the activities and commitments that you take on and to be comfortable in the art of saying no. Both professionally and personally this has allowed me to be more focused, less frantic, more happy and more productive.
Saying no is no small task however. This process takes a constant practice of self-analysis, self-discipline and cruel priority assessments. In order to be in a more present mindset, to be more focused and to hit key milestones I’ve found it crucial.
Even the graphics of the book provide a powerful visual reminder of the process. Routinely, I find myself speaking of the process of simplifying, focusing and spending more energy on key priorities rather that covering all the bases in life. I often loan, recommend or have purchased this for those that I find have the same energy that when not focused correctly can lead to burnout or worse. Take a read, it will be worth it!
One person found this helpful
Best nonfiction I’ve read in years
Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2021
Effortless is a rare flavor of highly entertaining, page-turning non-fiction. I devoured the book in a day and I’m listening to it on audio now.
Few books are truly for everyone, but Effortless sure is.
Highly researched, with plenty of anecdotes to illustrate his principles, the book has actionable advice on every page. (Burnout is not a badge of honor!)
And the closing story, deeply personal and beautifully transparent on his family’s struggle with their daughter’s health, is worth the cover price alone.
Reviewed in the United States on November 23, 2019
My favorite book to reread as a refresher in the pursuit of doing less but better! Especially the last chapter, so much insightful information! Thank you!! This book is a must read to anyone that but especially those who have worked hard to get where they are and the opportunities are coming in, which is fantastic, but also overwhelming and can easily take you off track.
2 people found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2021
Although I have read many books in my life, I rarely identify with one as much as aI did with Essentialism, the disciplined pursuit of less. It is obvious Greg invested a lot of time and energy in this book and made it a powerhouse of invaluable wisdom. I can honestly say this book made me a better person, a better professional and a better human being. Thank you, Greg! Keep up the good work. P.S. it is interesting to note that although I live in the U.S., I found out about this book while watching an online IT workshop in Brazil. One of speakers spoke highly about the book and it catches my attention.
Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2019
I've read this book going on 3 times now and every single time, I take away something deeply impactful. As an entrepreneur, I am naturally susceptible to the "shiny-object" syndrome - or the idea that my attention is constantly fragmented by the "urgent". The author is helping me overcome this bad habit and prioritize what will actually move my life in the direction I want it to go.
2 people found this helpful
Essentialism: an essential read
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2021
Rarely does a book so fully alter how I look at the world, but Essentialism did. Greg McKeown has a brilliant mastery of the English language and beautifully weaves research and narrative. I chose to read this in 21 days (okay, truth be told it took me 28) as a part of a two-person book group. It was a gamechanger for me to focus on what's the most important step for me to take right now. Give yourself a gift...read and act upon this book NOW...so you are ready for Effortless which is due out in April 2021. I cannot wait to dive in again on another McKeown book.
Thought Provoking and Inspiring
Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2018
This was a very good read. I’m walking away from reading this inspired to make real change in my life happen, which is something I can say of very few books. Essentialism is intriguing, but the possibilities it brings are exciting. I would definitely recommend this to anyone and everyone in a high stress job, anyone who feels overwhelmed, and anyone who has perfectionist or do-it-all tendencies.
5 people found this helpful
integrate simplicity into your life :)
Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2021
when things feel chaotic and stressful, I always keep this idea in mind! just creating space, purging, eliminating unnecessary tasks... all of this has helped me live more simply. the book really helps to understand what essentialism entails, so you can implement it into your own life.
of all the personal devt I've read over the years, there are a handful I've kept to re-read because of level of impact, and this is one of them!
This book stirred my creative juices
Reviewed in the United States on October 1, 2015
I really enjoyed reading this book. It enabled me to stand back and assess my business and personal life to determine what was important to me and how that might shape my actions going forward. It has inspired me to redesign my business from the bottom up and redesign my work week. The author's comment about using fun and fantasy to stir creative juices was particularly compelling to me. I also loved his tip that "if the answer is not a definite yes, than it should be a No.
Some other takeaways were to focus on the hardest things first and to try to make execution effortless. He encourages minimalism by urging us to consider the simplest possible product/service that we can provide to our customers. He notes that the most creative individuals use strict routines to free up their mind.
Probably the best business book I have read in awhile.
5 people found this helpful
How to Get More Done in Less Time
Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2019
That's what Essentialism means to me. This book was full of practical ways to evaluate what is truly essential vs what is non-essential. Eliminate the non-essential so you can focus on what really matters to you.
It's not necessarily easy because you're going to have to learn how to say "no" more than you probably ever have before. And that makes many people at least a bit uncomfortable. Yet you are probably wasting a lot of time on things you don't really want to do because you don't say "no" to non-essential projects and activities.
If you're serious about eliminating the non-essential from your life and taking back control of your time and your life, then read this book.
4 people found this helpful
Clearity of what's really important in life
Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2021
In my mid 50's and thinking of retirement and where I'll be over the next 10 years, I started to notice all the stuff I accumulated over the years and if they really served a purpose or have purpose going forward in my life.
This book helped me realized that your quality of life is not based on Things and Stuff you collected and when you declutter those things from your life, you have a clearer picture and memories of things that are most important in life.
Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2020
If you’re goal is to do less but make more, this is the book for you. The philosophy taught in this book is, well, essential. While reading this book I’ve been able to reset my mindset to start only doing the things that truly matter to me and cut out all the BS that just clutters my life and prevents me from propelling into the life I dream of having. Very excited to see how the essentialism method shapes 2020 and each year following.
One person found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2017
Fantastically written. I have found myself highlighting and taking notes along the way. Very clearly written and with the perfect balance of anecdotes and wisdom, very inspiring all around. I would recommend it to anyone who is like me and feeling overwhelmed much of the time. I used to say yes to things because I am enthusiastic and eager, but realize it is far more valuable to really hone in on what matters most.
8 people found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2021
Excellent read for living a purpose and meaningful life without the clutter and the noise of everyday distractions. After reading this book, I am able to apply the essential principles to my work and personal life. Saying no, setting buffers, prioritizing, and putting what matters first has never been so is easy. Less is more equals success.
This book changed my way of thinking and doing!
Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2021
This book came into my life at the most ESSENTIAL moment in time. I thought I had clarity but the things I were doing weren't clear to me, to what I wanted and decided to do. If that sounds like you, or you want to simplify your life, please read this book. It is easily digestible, has amazingly simple applications you can put into practice (I am a Notion user and I am creating my Notion Setup while referring back to this book.) If you're unclear or struggling to focus on things, these book can help you IF you are willing to actually put it into practice. Please don't let this be another book you read and forget. Do what's written for 1 month as I am and build up these essentialist habits and when they work stick with the ROUTINE that works best for you. It will only help you spend more time doing what you were meant to do and designed to do. You got this let's get it!
Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2015
Essentialism is about "keeping the main thing, the main thing", "the bigger yes". A very different mindset that chooses certain direction and accepts that trade-offs are part of life. It requires saying "no" to many good, interesting options since we have said "Yes" to a choice we believe is the best aligned with our life mission. Ironically it also means exploring more before a choice is made. I teared a bit when I read the vivid example of Essentialism when a "date" between a speaker and his daughter Cynthia is much more worthy than saying yes to an invitation from an old acquaintance in San Francisco (Chapter 11 about the Graceful No).
Highly recommended reading to help us focus back on the Vital Few than Trivial Many.
4 people found this helpful
How to use this book to take action if you're a business owner or employee...
Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2016
Really great book on getting clear on what needs to get done. Entrepreneurs who have lots of "visions" and "ideas" could use this and supplement it with having a project manager to make their life easier. A project manager who can safely tell you whether an idea is worth doing or not is invaluable for getting more done in your business and life.
And for employees, you can use this idea to help your employer by offering to help them filter ideas and focus on one thing, one project that drives the business forward.
Great book, and highly executable if used properly.
5 people found this helpful
Honestly the best book I’ve read this year!!
Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2020
Honestly the best book I’ve read this year!! Greg McKeown shares his simple pattern for living a more abundant life. It isn’t always easy to change how you live your life and Mr. McKeown acknowledges that in his thoughtful writing. I have shared his beautiful book with many friends and colleagues. If you feel overwhelmed, undervalued, or overcome by the life you are living, read Essentialism and act.
As a school administrator, my faculty will join me in an Essentialism book study next fall. Mr. McKeown’s practical directives will offer them a roadmap to less stress and more effectiveness.
One person found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2020
Not what do other people want you to read or what do other people want you to buy, what about what YOU want. Your life is your life, sometimes cutting back is helpful in realizing what it is we really need and want in our lives. And sometimes we realize it is not what other people are telling us. Essentialism is a good approach when sifting through things you have or things you do to find the core most important things to you. I have found it particularly effective when paired with slowing down.
Clear, Concise, Transformative
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2021
This book is a great North star for determining what is essential and what to let go of. It is transformative--clear, concise, and life changing--not just for business but for life in general. It lets you see, and then eliminate things that are life-draining so that you can focus on what really matters. Highly, highly recommended.
This is an amazing read for anyone who struggles with creating balance in ...
Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2018
This is an amazing read for anyone who struggles with creating balance in their life.
I work in a hotel because I love the unpredictability of my day to day (and of course the travel!), but this can make creating balance seems more like a lofty goal than an action.
This book really helped me see how to create the right boundaries and focus on the essentials to be more productive and passionate with my work; therefore, giving myself the space for balance. Highly recommended, especially for all my hospitality friends.
3 people found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2019
This is a fantastic read of you are anything like me and have shiny object syndrome: you start one thing then get sidetracked or derailed before finishing. It also gave me the motivation to declutter my home and life- lots of great life changes from reading this!
2 people found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2021
Essentialism is an awesome book. This book helps you to understand what’s most important and how to weed out all the other things in life. It tells how you can be more successful in life by doing what’s most important to you. It is an easy read and so helpful. Anyone wanting to work on themselves should read this book!
Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2020
This book was an eye opener for me. The author gives a great explanation of the difference between non-essentialist and an essentialist. I have noticed that I do non-essentialist things and want to focus on what is important. He provides great tips on how to become an essentialist and to live life simply and to the fullest. I highly recommend this book
Exactly the advice you knew but needed
Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2016
The book is fabulously written and the audiobook narration is perfection. The advice in the book is advice you have heard in some form somewhere, but the presentation here is outstanding.
What I find most business books doing is rehashing tired and worn examples and giving a principle but failing to give an application. For example I dare you to find a marketing book that does not mention Starbucks or Apple.
Here in this book are multiple ways for you to apply essentialism. It breaks down and dissects very carefully what it is and how to become an essentialist. It is by far my favorite book that I have read in years.
4 people found this helpful
A very simple way to go back the figuring it what is priority
Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2015
What a bold and challenging book. In these days of constant connectivity, this books help breakaway from the information overload and go back to "keeping the main thing, the main thing."
I'm still processing my notes on this book but there's too much to tell here.
What you'll find in the pages is a group of different questions and exercises that will help you identify which are your vital few. All concepts come with an example that illustrates the concept.
I also highlighted several of the questions used to explain the concepts in the book. These question were very specific and helped me move beyond excuses and really pinpoint possible solutions.
4 people found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2021
I'm nearing retirement and found the advice in this book invaluable. I had picked it up a few years ago and coudn't get into it though. I think you have to be in the right mind-set, already predisposed to being an essentialist in some way. The author also has inspiring podcasts.
Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2021
This book definitely reshaped my idea of how to prioritize, and separate essential from nonessential activities. I highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to change their life.
One person found this helpful
Read this if you feel stretched thin with your time and life!
Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2020
This was a great read! Very applicable to life and inspiring life outlook. I learned a lot and will keep of those philosophies in my vision from now on! We can’t to everything and be successful at it too! Pick a couple of things that spark joy and become happy and have more time for things that are important to you!