This is a summary review of Essentialism containing key details about the book.

What is Essentialism About?

Essentialism is a book by Greg McKeown that advocates for a more deliberate and disciplined approach to life and work, focusing on what is truly essential and eliminating distractions and non-essential tasks. (Full Summary…)

Essentialism Summary Review

“Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less” by Greg McKeown stands as a seminal work in the field of personal development. Its distinction lies not only in its sales figures or its status as a New York Times Bestseller but more so in the radical shift it proposes from conventional productivity methods. The essence of Essentialism is a systematic discipline, a philosophy that urges individuals to rigorously sift through life’s myriad demands and distractions, to focus solely on what is truly crucial. This approach is not just about doing less; it’s about doing what is absolutely essential, thereby maximizing one’s contribution to what matters most.

In this compelling treatise, McKeown confronts a pervasive modern dilemma: the sense of being overworked and stretched too thin. Through the “Way of the Essentialist,” the book takes readers beyond the surface-level tactics of traditional productivity guides. It offers a profound, holistic transformation in the way we approach our personal and professional lives. The book is elegantly structured into four parts—Essence, Explore, Eliminate, and Execute. Each section serves as a step in a journey towards understanding and implementing the principles of Essentialism. Readers are first introduced to the core ideas and values of Essentialism. Then, they are guided in adopting a mindset geared towards meaningful contribution. The subsequent sections focus on the art of eliminating distractions and non-essentials, followed by practical advice on executing the chosen essential goals effectively.

McKeown’s writing style is both accessible and thought-provoking, making complex ideas readily understandable. His approach is not prescriptive but rather exploratory, inviting readers to reflect on their own lives and choices. The examples and case studies interspersed throughout the book are not only illustrative but also deeply relatable, often echoing the challenges faced by many in today’s fast-paced world.

“Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less” is more than a book; it’s a philosophy for living a focused and purposeful life. It challenges the status quo of ‘busy being busy’ and presents a compelling alternative: a life where every action, every commitment, every decision is infused with clear intention and purpose. This book is not just a read; it’s an experience that compels introspection, prompting a reevaluation of one’s priorities and choices. It’s a guide that empowers readers to reclaim control of their decisions and their lives, making it an invaluable resource in the realm of personal development and beyond.

Who is the Author of Essentialism?

Greg McKeown is a business writer, consultant, and researcher specializing in leadership, strategy design, collective intelligence, and human systems. He also collaborated on the writing and research of the Wall Street Journal bestseller “Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter.”

Favorite Quote: “..It’s 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.” ― Greg Mckeown, Essentialism Quotes

Book Details

• Print length: 260 pages
• Audiobook: 6 hrs and 14 mins
• Genere: Nonfiction, Self Help, Business, Productivity, Personal Development, Career Success

Editorial Reviews

McKeown began his mission for a less overcommitted life after he left his wife and hours-old baby in the hospital for an ultimately unproductive client meeting. Punctuated with zippy, thoughtful one-liners, this guide to doing “less but better” offers strategies for determining what is truly necessary, and shedding what is not. Too many people fall for the having-it-all myth, and would benefit from shifting from a non-essentialist mindset (unable to distinguish and parse out the truly important) to an essentialist one (capable of identifying the goal), contends McKeown. Instead of attempting to achieve everything, readers need to figure out how to do the “right thing the right way at the right time.” According to the author, the first step is un-committing: resisting the urge to join clubs, take on hobbies, and maintain unsatisfying friendships. Readers can stop making casual commitments, and can get over their fear of missing out. By making better choices, and not taking on the weight of other people’s problems, readers can realize the non-essential nature of virtually everything in life, and learn to be present and spend more meaningful time with family and friends. This is a smart, concise guide for the overcommitted and under-satisfied. (Apr.) – Publishers Weekly

“Essentialism will give you richer, sweeter results and put you in real control, giving greater precision to the pursuit of what truly matters.” —Forbes

“In this likeable and astute treatise on the art of doing less in order to do better…McKeown makes the content fresh and the solutions easy to implement. Following his lucid and smart directions will help readers find ‘the way of the essentialist.’” —Success

“Do you feel it, too? That relentless pressure to sample all the good things in life? To do all the ‘right’ things? The reality is, you don’t make progress that way. Instead, you’re in danger of spreading your efforts so thin that you make no impact at all. Greg McKeown believes the answer lies in paring life down to its essentials. He can’t tell you what’s essential to every life, but he can help you find the meaning in yours.” —Daniel H. Pink, author of To Sell is Human and Drive

“Entrepreneurs succeed when they say ‘yes’ to the right project, at the right time, in the right way. To accomplish this, they have to be good at saying ‘no’ to all their other ideas. Essentialism offers concise and eloquent advice on how to determine what you care about most, and how to apply your energies in ways that ultimately bring you the greatest rewards.” —Reid Hoffman, co-founder/chairman of LinkedIn and co-author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Start-up of You

“As a self-proclaimed ‘maximalist’ who always wants to do it all, this book challenged me and improved my life. If you want to work better, not just less, you should read it too.” —Chris Guillebeau, New York Times bestselling author of The $100 Startup

“Great design takes us beyond the complex, the unnecessary and confusing, to the simple, clear and meaningful. This is as true for the design of a life as it is for the design of a product. With Essentialism, Greg McKeown gives us the invaluable guidebook for just such a project.” —Tim Brown, CEO of IDEO

“In Essentialism, Greg McKeown makes a compelling case for achieving more by doing less. He reminds us that clarity of focus and the ability to say ‘no’ are both critical and undervalued in business today.” —Jeff Weiner, ‎CEO, LinkedIn

“Essentialism is a powerful antidote to the current craziness that plagues our organizations and our lives. Read Greg McKeown’s words slowly, stop and think about how to apply them to your life—you will do less, do it better, and begin to feel the insanity start to slip away.” —Robert I. Sutton, Professor at Stanford University and author of Good Boss, Bad Boss and Scaling Up Excellence

“Essentialism is a rare gem that will change lives. Greg offers deep insights, rich context and actionable steps to living life at its fullest. I’ve started on the path to an Essentialist way of life, and the impact on my productivity and well-being is profound.” —Bill Rielly, Senior Vice President, Intel Security

Is Essentialism worth reading?

We give the book a thumbs up. 👍