Essentialism

by Greg McKeown · 2014
Cover of Essentialism

Mentioned in 2 episodes across 1 podcast: Modern Wisdom.

ISBN 9780804137386

About the book

Essentialism isn't about getting more done in less time. It's about getting only the right things done. Have you ever found yourself stretched too thin? Do you simultaneously feel overworked and underutilized? Are you often busy but not productive? Do you feel like your time is constantly being hijacked by other people's agendas? If you answered yes to any of these, the way out is the Way of the Essentialist. Essentialism is more than a time-management strategy or a productivity technique. It is a systematic discipline for discerning what is absolutely essential, then eliminating everything that is not, so we can make the highest possible contribution toward the things that really matter. By… Read more
Essentialism isn’t about getting more done in less time. It’s about getting only the right things done. Have you ever found yourself stretched too thin? Do you simultaneously feel overworked and underutilized? Are you often busy but not productive? Do you feel like your time is constantly being hijacked by other people’s agendas? If you answered yes to any of these, the way out is the Way of the Essentialist. Essentialism is more than a time-management strategy or a productivity technique. It is a systematic discipline for discerning what is absolutely essential, then eliminating everything that is not, so we can make the highest possible contribution toward the things that really matter. By forcing us to apply more selective criteria for what is Essential, the disciplined pursuit of less empowers us to reclaim control of our own choices about where to spend our precious time and energy – instead of giving others the implicit permission to choose for us. Essentialism is not one more thing. It’s a whole new way of doing everything. It’s about doing less, but better, in every area of our lives. Essentialism is a movement whose time has come. - Jacket flap.

Where it comes up

Modern Wisdom

  • “Let's get into it. First up is Essentialism by Greg McEwan. This is a book which probably changed my fundamental big picture approach to life more than anything”
    ▶ Listen from 0:09
  • “In this video, I'm going to take you through the 10 books which have most impacted my life. We've got eight, which are personal development books and two, which are real life stories. Let's get into it. First up is Essentialism by Greg McEwan. This is a book which probably changed my fundamental big picture approach…”