The Disciplined Pursuit of Less
Part I: Essence
Ch. 1 – The Essentialist
“Stay, but do what you would as a consultant and nothing else. And don’t tell anyone.”
Almost everything is noise.
Weniger aber besser = Less is better. The way of the Essentialist is the relentless pursuit of less but better.
The Essentialist:
Thinks: “Only a few things really matter.” / “What are the trade-offs?”
Does: “Pauses to discern what really matters” / “Say no to everything except the essential.” “Removes obstacles to make execution easy.”
Gets: “Chooses carefully in order to do great work”
“What would happen if we could figure out the one thing you could do that would make the highest contribution?”
When we try to do it all and have it all, we find ourselves making trade-offs at the margins that we would never take on as our intentional strategy.
Instead of asking, “Is there a chance I will wear this someday in the future?” you ask more disciplined, tough questions: “Do I love this?” and “Do I look great in it?” and “Do I wear this often?” If the answer is no, then you know it is a candidate for elimination.
Ch. 2 Choose
“If you could do only one thing with your life right now, what would you do?”
Ch. 3 Discern
A crucial lesson: certain types of effort yield higher rewards than others.
“What is the most valuable result I could achieve in this job?”
Warren decided early in his career it would be impossible for him to make hundreds of right investment decisions, so he decided that he would invest only in the businesses that he was absolutely sure of, and then he bet heavily on them. He owes 90% of his wealth to just ten investments. Sometimes what you don’t do is just as important as what you do. In short, he makes big best on the essential few investment opportunities and says no to the many merely good ones.
Ch. 4 Trade-Off
You have to look at every opportunity and say, “Well, no… I’m sorry. We’re not going to do a thousand different things that really won’t contribute much to the end result we are trying to achieve.”
The Essentialist:
Asks: “What is the trade-off I want to make?” / “What can I go big on?”
Part II: Explore
Ch. 5 Escape
The Essentialist:
Creates space to escape and explore life.
Ch. 8 Protect
Our highest priority is to protect our ability to prioritize.
Ch. 9 Select
“No More Yes. It’s Either HELL YEAH! Or No.” / If it isn’t a clear yes, then it’s a clear no.”
90% Rule: 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%, then automatically change the rating to 0 and simply reject it.
“What am I deeply passionate about?” / “What taps my talent?” / “What meets a significant need in the world?”
Part III: Eliminate
Ch. 10 Clarify
From “Pretty Clear” to “Really Clear”: What do you really want out of your career over the next 5 years?
We waste time and energies on trying to look good in comparison to other people. We overvalue non-essentials like a nicer car or house, or even intangibles like the number of our followers on Twitter or the way we look in our Facebook photos. As a result, we neglect activities that are truly essential, like spending time with our loved ones, or nurturing our spirit, or taking care of our health.
“The crime which bankrupts men and states is that of job-work; – declining from your main design to serve a turn here or there.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
Done right, an essential intent is one decision that settles one thousand later decisions. It’s like deciding you’re going to become a doctor instead of a lawyer. One strategic choice eliminates a universe of other options and maps a course for the next five, ten, or even twenty years of your life.
Ch. 11 Dare
The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.
The Essentialist:
Dares to say no firmly, resolutely, and gracefully.
Says yes only to the hings that really matters.
“I am flattered that you thought of me but I’m afraid I don’t have the bandwidth.”
“I would very much like to but I’m overcommitted.”
“You are welcome to X. I am willing to Y.” (e.g. “You’re welcome to borrow my car. I am willing to make sure the keys are here for you.”)
“I can’t do it, but X might be interested.”
Ch. 12 Uncommit
The Essentialist:
Asks, “If I weren’t already invested in this project, how much would I invest in it now?”
Thinks, “What else could I do with this time or money if I pulled the plug now?”
“If I wasn’t already involved in this project, how hard would I work to get on it?”
Ch. 13 Edit
The Essentialist:
Thinks that making things better means subtracting something.
Part IV: Execute
Ch. 15 Buffer
Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.
Ch. 16 Subtract
To attain knowledge add things every day. To attain wisdom subtract things every day (Lao Tzu).
Identify the Herbie: What is the “slowest hiker” in your job or our life? What is the obstacle that is keeping you back from achieving what really matters to you? By systematically identifying and removing this “constraint” you’ll be able to significantly reduce the friction keeping you from executing what is essential.
Ah Essentialist produces more – brings forth more – by removing more instead of doing more.
Ask yourself, “What are all the obstacles standing between me and getting this done?” and “What is keeping me from completing this?” Make a list of these obstacles. They might include: not having the information you need, your energy level, your desire for perfection. Prioritize the list using the question, “What is the obstacle that, if removed, would make the majority of other obstacles disappear?”
Ch. 17 Progress
Every day do something that will inch you closer to a better tomorrow.
Of all the things that can boost emotions, motivation, and perceptions during a workday, the single most important is making progress in meaningful work.
Ch. 18 Flow
Routine, in an intelligent man, is a sign of ambition (W.H. Auden).
Category: Perceptions
Greg McKeown © 2020
November 26, 2023
State of Being 