ESSENTIALISM BY GREG MCKEOWN | BOOK SUMMARY

Essentialism by Greg McKeown is a must read for people interested in productivity

and getting more done. Its a real eye-opener which challenges you to think about
whats important and how youre spending your time. The book guides you through
the process of saying no to the trivial many so you can focus more on the
essential few.
If you dont prioritize your life, someone else will
1. The Essentialist
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.
PART 1: ESSENCE: WHAT IS THE CORE MIND-SET OF AN ESSENTIALIST?
There are three deeply entrenched assumptions we must conquer to live the way of
the Essentialist: I have to, Its all important, and I can do both.
To embrace the essence of Essentialism requires we replace these false
assumptions with three core truths: I choose to, Only a few things really matter,
and I can do anything but not everything. These simple truths free us to pursue
what really matters.
2. CHOOSE: The Invincible Power of Choice
To become an Essentialist requires a heightened awareness of our ability to
choose. We need to recognize it as an invincible power within us, existing separate
and distinct from any other thing, person, or force.
When we forget our ability to choose, we learn to be helpless. In turn, we surrender
our power to choose. That is the path of the Nonessentialist.
The Essentialist doesnt just recognize the power of choice, he celebrates it. The
Essentialist knows that when we surrender our right to choose, we give others not
just the power but also the explicit permission to choose for us.

3. DISCERN: The Unimportance of Practically Everything

The essentialist takes the time to explore all his options. The extra investment is
justified because some things are so much more important that they repay the
effort invested in finding those things tenfold. An Essentialist, in other words,
discerns more so he can do less.
4. TRADE-OFF: Which Problem Do I Want?
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? The cumulative impact of this small change in thinking can be
profound.
Trade-offs are not something to be ignored or decried. They are something to be
embraced and made deliberately, strategically, and thoughtfully.
PART 2: EXPLORE: HOW CAN WE DISCERN THE TRIVIAL MANY FROM THE
VITAL FEW?
Essentialists spend as much time as possible exploring, listening, debating,
questioning, and thinking. But their exploration is not an end in itself. The purpose
of the exploration is to discern the vital few from the trivial many
5. ESCAPE: The Perks of Being Unavailable
We need space to escape in order to discern the essential few from the trivial
many. Unfortunately, in our time-starved era we dont get that space by default
only by design.
Space to design where can you go to escape from distractions so you can create
the space you need to think.
Space to concentrate when can you schedule time into your calendar for thinking
about big picture stuff and all the things going on inside your head? Taking time out
to do nothing but think can be extremely beneficial.
Space to read when can you schedule time for reading classical literature (not
blogs, modern books or the latest news).
6. LOOK: See What Really Matters
Have you ever felt lost and unsure about what to focus on? Have you ever felt
overwhelmed by all of the information bombarding you and not sure what to make
of it? Have you ever missed the point to something in your work or at home and not

realized your mistake until it was too late? If so, this next Essentialist skill will be
immensely valuable.
Stop hyper-focusing on all the minor details and see the bigger picture.
Discerning what is essential to explore requires us to be disciplined in how we scan
and filter all the competing and conflicting facts, options, and opinions constantly
vying for our attention. Here are some tactics to help you focus on the big picture:
Keep a journal.
Get out into the field. Get out there and fully explore the problem.
Keep your eyes peeled for abnormal or unusual details.
Clarify the question. What question are you trying to answer?
7. PLAY: Embrace the Wisdom of Your Inner Child
Play is fundamental to living the way of the Essentialist because it fuels exploration
in at least three specific ways.
First, play broadens the range of options available to us. It helps us to see
possibilities we otherwise wouldnt have seen and make connections we would
otherwise not have made. It opens our minds and broadens our perspective. It
helps us challenge old assumptions and makes us more receptive to untested
ideas. It gives us permission to expand our own stream of consciousness and
come up with new stories.
Second, play is an antidote to stress, and this is key because stress, in addition to
being an enemy of productivity, can actually shut down the creative, inquisitive,
exploratory parts of our brain.
So how can we all introduce more play into our workplaces and our lives? Mine your
past for play memories. What did you do as a child that excited you? How can you
re-create that today?
8. SLEEP: Protect the Asset
The way of the Nonessentialist is to see sleep as yet another burden on ones
already overextended, overcommitted, busy-but-not-always-productive life.
Essentialists instead see sleep as necessary for operating at high levels of
contribution more of the time. This is why they systematically and deliberately build
sleep into their schedules so they can do more, achieve more, and explore more.

In a nutshell, sleep is what allows us to operate at our highest level of contribution

so that we can achieve more, in less time.
Sleep will enhance your ability to explore, make connections, and do less but better
throughout your waking hours.
9. SELECT: The Power of Extreme Criteria
No More Yes. Its Either HELL YEAH! Or No.
You can think of this as the 90 Percent Rule, and its one you can apply to just
about every decision or dilemma. As you evaluate an option, think about the single
most important criterion for that decision, and then simply give the option a score
between 0 and 100. If you rate it any lower than 90 percent, then automatically
change the rating to 0 and simply reject it. This way you avoid getting caught up in
indecision, or worse, getting stuck with the 60s or 70s.
Heres a simple, systematic process you can use to apply selective criteria to
opportunities that come your way. First, write down the opportunity. Second, write
down a list of three minimum criteria the options would need to pass in order to
be considered. Third, write down a list of three ideal or extreme criteria the
options would need to pass in order to be considered. By definition, if the
opportunity doesnt pass the first set of criteria, the answer is obviously no. But if it
also doesnt pass two of your three extreme criteria, the answer is still no.
PART 3: ELIMINATE: HOW CAN WE CUT OUT THE TRIVIAL MANY?
Part Three of this book will show you how to eliminate the nonessentials so you can
make a higher level of contribution toward the things that are actually vital.
So once you have sufficiently explored your options, the question you should be
asking yourself is not: What, of my list of competing priorities, should I say yes
to? Instead, ask the essential question: What will I say no to? This is the
question that will uncover your true priorities.
10. CLARIFY: One Decision That Makes a Thousand
The first type of nonessential youre going to learn how to eliminate is simply any
activity that is misaligned with what you are intending to achieve.
When there is a serious lack of clarity about what the team stands for and what
their goals and roles are, people experience confusion, stress, and frustration.
When there is a high level of clarity, on the other hand, people thrive.

An essential intent, on the other hand, is both inspirational and concrete, both
meaningful and measurable. Done right, an essential intent is one decision that
settles one thousand later decisions.
An essential intent doesnt have to be elegantly crafted; its the substance, not the
style that counts. Instead, ask the more essential question that will inform every
future decision you will ever make: "If we could be truly excellent at only one thing,
what would it be?
Creating an essential intent is hard. It takes courage, insight, and foresight to see
which activities and efforts will add up to your single highest point of contribution.
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
intention. Yet it is worth the effort because only with real clarity of purpose can
people, teams, and organizations fully mobilize and achieve something truly
excellent.
11. DARE: The Power of a Graceful No
Have you ever said yes when you meant no simply to avoid conflict or friction?
Navigating these moments with courage and grace is one of the most important
skills to master in becoming an Essentialistand one of the hardest.

So why is it so hard in the moment to dare to choose what is essential over what is
nonessential One simple answer is we are unclear about what is essential. When
this happens we become defenseless.
A true Essentialist, Peter Drucker believed that people are effective because they
say no.
The point is to say no to the nonessentials so we can say yes to the things that
really matter. It is to say nofrequently and gracefullyto everything but what is
truly vital.
Essentialists accept they cannot be popular with everyone all of the time. Yes,
saying no respectfully, reasonably, and gracefully can come at a short-term social
cost.
12. UNCOMMIT: Win Big by Cutting Your Losses
Sunk-cost bias is the tendency to continue to invest time, money, or energy into
something we know is a losing proposition simply because we have already
incurred, or sunk, a cost that cannot be recouped.
A Nonessentialist cant break free of traps like these. An Essentialist has the
courage and confidence to admit his or her mistakes and uncommit, no matter the
sunk costs.
Dont ask, How will I feel if I miss out on this opportunity? but rather, "If I did not
have this opportunity, how much would I be willing to sacrifice in order to obtain it?
13. EDIT: The Invisible Art
Editingwhich involves the strict elimination of the trivial, unimportant, or
irrelevantis an Essentialist craft.
An editor is not merely someone who says no to things. A three-year-old can do
that. Nor does an editor simply eliminate; in fact, in a way, an editor actually adds.
What I mean is that a good editor is someone who uses deliberate subtraction to
actually add life to the ideas, setting, plot, and characters.
Cut When making decisions, deciding to cut options can be terrifyingbut the
truth is, it is the very essence of decision making. In fact: The Latin root of the word
decisioncis or cidliterally means to cut or "to kill.

Condense Condensing means saying it as clearly and concisely as possible. But

to be clear, condensing doesnt mean doing more at once, it simply means less
waste. It means lowering the ratio of words to ideas, square feet to usefulness, or
effort to results.
Correct An editors job is not just to cut or condense but also to make something
right. It can be a change as minor as a grammar correction or as involved as fixing
the flaws in an argument.
Edit Less Becoming an editor in our lives also includes knowing when to show
restraint. One way we can do this is by editing our tendency to step in. A
Nonessentialist views editing as a discrete task to be performed only when things
become overwhelming.
14. LIMIT: The Freedom of Setting Boundaries
Boundaries are a little like the walls of a sandcastle. The second we let one fall
over, the rest of them come crashing down.
Essentialists see boundaries as empowering. They recognize that boundaries
protect their time from being hijacked and often free them from the burden of
having to say no to things that further others objectives instead of their own.
Whoever it is thats trying to siphon off your time and energies for their own
purpose, the only solution is to put up fences. And not at the moment the request is
madeyou need to put up your fences well in advance, clearly demarcating whats
off limits so you can head off time wasters and boundary pushers at the pass.
PART 4: EXECUTER: HOW CAN WE MAKE DOING THE VITAL FEW THINGS
ALMOST EFFORTLESS?
While Nonessentialists tend to force execution, Essentialists invest the time they
have saved by eliminating the nonessentials into designing a system to make
execution almost effortless.
15. BUFFER: The Unfair Advantage
The Essentialist looks ahead. She plans. She prepares for different contingencies.
She expects the unexpected. She creates a buffer to prepare for the unforeseen,
thus giving herself some wiggle room when things come up, as they inevitably do.
One way to protect against the unforeseen is simply to add a 50 percent buffer to
the amount of time we estimate it will take to complete a task or project (if 50
percent seems overly generous, consider how frequently things actually do take us

50 percent longer than expected).

You can also conduct scenario planning: (1) What risks do you face on this project?
(2) What is the worst-case scenario? (3) What would the social effects of this be?
(4) What would the financial impact of this be? and (5) How can you invest to reduce
risks or strengthen financial or social resilience?
16. SUBTRACT: Bring Forth More by Removing Obstacles
The question is this: What is the slowest hiker in your job or your life? What is the
obstacle that is keeping you back from achieving what really matters to you? By
systematically identifying and removing this constraint youll be able to
significantly reduce the friction keeping you from executing what is essential.
Essentialists dont default to Band-Aid solutions. Instead of looking for the most
obvious or immediate obstacles, they look for the ones slowing down progress.
When identifying your slowest hiker, one important thing to keep in mind is that
even activities that are productivelike doing research, or e-mailing people for
information, or rewriting the report in order to get it perfect the first time around
can be obstacles.
To reduce the friction with another person, apply the catch more flies with honey
approach. Send him an e-mail, but instead of asking if he has done the work for you
(which obviously he hasnt), go and see him. Ask him, What obstacles or
bottlenecks are holding you back from achieving X, and how can I help remove
these? Instead of pestering him, offer sincerely to support him. You will get a
warmer reply than you would by just e-mailing him another demand.
17. PROGRESS: The Power of Small Wins
The way of the Essentialist is different. Instead of trying to accomplish it alland all
at onceand flaring out, the Essentialist starts small and celebrates progress.
Instead of going for the big, flashy wins that dont really matter, the Essentialist
pursues small and simple wins in areas that are essential.
Research has shown that of all forms of human motivation the most effective one is
progress. Why? Because a small, concrete win creates momentum and affirms our
faith in our further success.

We can adopt a method of minimal viable progress. We can ask ourselves, "What
is the smallest amount of progress that will be useful and valuable to the essential
task we are trying to get done?
Often just ten minutes invested in a project or assignment two weeks before it is
due can save you much frantic and stressed-out scrambling at the eleventh hour.
Take a goal or deadline you have coming up and ask yourself, "What is the minimal
amount I could do right now to prepare?
18. FLOW: The Genius of Routine
The Essentialist designs a routine that makes achieving what you have identified as
essential the default position. Yes, in some instances an Essentialist still has to
work hard, but with the right routine in place each effort yields exponentially
greater results.

Routine is one of the most powerful tools for removing obstacles. Without routine,
the pull of nonessential distractions will overpower us. But if we create a routine
that enshrines the essentials, we will begin to execute them on autopilot.
According to researchers at Duke University, nearly 40 percent of our choices are
deeply unconscious.7 We dont think about them in the usual sense. There is both
danger and opportunity in this. The opportunity is that we can develop new abilities
that eventually become instinctive. The danger is that we may develop routines
that are counterproductive.
To focus on the right routines 1) overhaul your triggers (change what triggers mean
so they prompt you to do something else) 2) create new triggers 3) do the most
important thing first 4) mix up your routines (e.g. have different routines for
different days of the week) 5) tackle your routines one at a time.
19. FOCUS: Whats Important Now?
To operate at your highest level of contribution requires that you deliberately tune
in to what is important in the here and now. Every second spent worrying about a
past or future moment distracts us from what is important in the here and now.
When faced with so many tasks and obligations that you cant figure out which to
tackle first, stop. Take a deep breath. Get present in the moment and ask yourself
what is most important this very secondnot whats most important tomorrow or
even an hour from now. If youre not sure, make a list of everything vying for your
attention and cross off anything that is not important right now.
Pay attention through the day for your own kairos moments. Write them down in
your journal. Think about what triggered that moment and what brought you out of
it. Now that you know what triggers the moment, try to re-create it.
20. BE: The Essentialist Life
There are two ways of thinking about Essentialism. The first is to think of it as
something you do occasionally. The second is to think of it as something you are.
In the former, Essentialism is one more thing to add to your already overstuffed life.
In the latter, it is a different waya simpler wayof doing everything. It becomes a
lifestyle. It becomes an all-encompassing approach to living and leading. It
becomes the essence of who we are.

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You will gain confidence in your ability to pause, push back, or not rush in. You will
feel less and less a function of other peoples to-do lists and agendas. Remember
that if you dont prioritize your life someone else will.
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.

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