Essentialism: Quotes
The Disciplined Pursuit of Less
Book by Greg McKeown
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Summary
Essentialism is a disciplined, systematic approach for determining where our highest point of contribution lies, then making execution of those things almost effortless. By applying the principles of "less but better" to every area of our lives, we can channel our time, energy and effort toward accomplishing the vital few things that really matter.
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These are the best quotes from Essentialism by Greg McKeown. If you want to read a full summary of this book for free, click here.
Less But Better
"The way of the Essentialist is the relentless pursuit of less but better. It doesn't mean occasionally giving a nod to the principle. It means pursuing it in a disciplined way."
Section: 1, Chapter: 1
Tradeoffs Are An Inescapable Reality
"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."
Section: 1, Chapter: 3
If It's Not A Clear Yes, It's A Clear No
"The way of the Essentialist is the path of the disciplined pursuit of less. It is not a path for people who aspire to the middle. It is a path for those who put their best effort toward fewer but better things. When faced with a decision between two opportunities, the Essentialist asks, "Which one of these is essential to me?" If one is a 9/10 and the other is a 10/10, the Essentialist knows to go for the 10. The logic is simple: if you rated an option anything less than a 9 out of 10, then it is a no. It is not something you are going to pour your energy into."
Section: 2, Chapter: 9
The Essential Few Should Dominate
"Think of your life as an overgrown garden. You have a limited amount of time and energy (and money and attention) to cultivate that garden. You can try to tend to every single plant but then the few that truly matter to you aren't going to get the attention they deserve. Or you can go through and pull up the weeds—cut out the nonessentials—so that what remains can really thrive. That is the Essentialist approach to editing your life."
Section: 3, Chapter: 13
Bring Forth More By Removing More
"Instead of focusing on the efforts and resources we need to add, the Essentialist focuses on the constraints or obstacles we need to remove... 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."
Section: 4, Chapter: 16
Live Essentially
"Whatever decision or challenge or crossroads you face in your life, simply ask yourself, 'What is essential?' Eliminate everything else. We can all purge our lives of the nonessential and embrace the way of the Essentialist—in our own ways, and in our own time, and on our own scale. We can all live a life not just of simplicity but of high contribution and meaning."
Section: 4, Chapter: 20
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