What is Essentialism? Why should you care about it? When will you start living an essentialist life? Why does it matter to me, and how can I apply the principles of Essentialism in my own life?
So this blog post is about the book “Essentialism” by Greg McKeown. I’ll try to answer all of the above and more. Here we go!
What is Essentialism?
The world around us is rushing. There are things to do, people to see, places to go, hustle-bustle everywhere… But if we let ourselves get carried away with all the distractions life throws at us, how will we ever find out what really matters? The answer lies within the idea of Essentialism.
Essentialism is the idea that by saying ‘no’ to certain things, we are actually saying ‘yes’ to something more meaningful, something with a greater impact on our lives. By choosing what is Essential, instead of succumbing to all the distractions life has in store for us, we give ourselves freedom of choice. We can choose work we really love and feel fulfilled by doing so. We can choose our relationships and how much time we want to spend on them.
Essentialism is about saying “no” to the non-essential so we can say “yes” to the things that really matter. It’s like a counterbalance of what is non-negotiable and what is non-essential. And just as a counterweight, it gives us the power to say “no” to everything that distracts us from what really matters to us, so we can have the freedom to choose what’s important in life.
1. It’s Not About Getting Things Done, but about Getting the Right Things Done
Our lives are shaped by what we say “yes” to. But, if we say “yes” to everything and everyone, we will fill our lives with nothing but distractions. And because of this, Greg suggests, it is essential to ask ourselves:
What truly is Essential in my life and work? What drains my energy but doesn’t make a difference?
2. Being ‘Busy’ is the Trap of Ineffectiveness
We live in an age where “busy” is associated with hard work, success, and value. But what if we were to reframe it somehow? We all want more time, but what if we could get more done in less time?
Busyness is not the same as effectiveness. Being busy doesn’t mean anything unless it means you are being effective at doing the right things. It’s easy to be busy and not actually get anything done. In this case, being busy means nothing and can even distract us from the things that really matter.
3. It’s not about Doing More Faster, but about Doing Less, Better
While you should be busy doing the right things, there is an important distinction to be made here: between ‘doing’ and ‘making’. To make something means to create something of value. On the other hand, just ‘doing’ something is not enough. It’s easy to get caught up in the ‘busyness’ of life, doing more things but pushing out less value.
If busyness isn’t the same as effectiveness, neither is doing more things the same as impacting the world. You need to refuse to do some things to make room for doing the things that matter most.
4. Success is Not a Destination but a Process
In today’s society, we have been conditioned with the idea of being successful, as if success is something you can suddenly reach one day and enjoy forever. But this does not work like that – it’s not something you can reach, and once we get their life will be happily ever after.
Success is not a destination but a process. It’s the process of accomplishing what you find to be most essential in your life and work – that’s how you’ll know when you’re successful. It doesn’t matter how long it takes to get there, as long as you know what is most essential to you.
5. The More We Have, the More We Want
We have been conditioned to think, “the more I get, the happier I will be.” But this isn’t always true – in fact, there’s a point when we have so much that we become overwhelmed and start taking it all for granted. At this stage, we start questioning why we have so much and start thinking of how to get even more.
The irony is that when we get more than enough, there will always be someone who has less than us, and it becomes easy to compare what we have with what others have got. This can be dangerous because once we think of what others have got, it’s easy to lose sight of what really matters.
6. The More We Desire, the Less Satisfied We Become
We start having more and more desires as soon as we set our minds on something, especially when it comes to material items – but each new thing we get makes us quickly take the previous things for granted. In this case, it’s important to remember that each new thing we get will not make us happier or fulfilled – it’s the other way around!
What is most valuable to you cannot be bought, and once we’ve lost sight of what matters most to us, it becomes easy to lose track of why we bothered in the first place.
7. Our Problems are a Product of our Desires
Our desires drive us to solve problems, but this doesn’t mean that we will solve them once we get what we want – more often than not, it’s the other way around. Because of this, it becomes essential for us to understand that while our desires are the problem, getting what we want doesn’t solve anything.
The solution to our problems is in letting go of our desires – not in chasing them. Dealing with the problem differently is what will lead us to a solution. So, while someone might see their family as one big problem, it’s only once they learn to love them that the problem is solved.
8. The Definition of Insanity is Doing the Same Thing Over and over again
When we chase our desires, what will determine whether or not we get what we want is how big these desires are – but this doesn’t mean it’s going to be achieved by chasing after them frantically. On the contrary, the more we try to get something, the bigger of a distraction it will become, and this is where we start doing things that are not productive.
Being successful doesn’t come from the accumulation of wealth or material items but instead on how well we can prioritize what matters most in life and work – this is the only thing that will help us achieve success.
9. The One who is Really in Control of our Life is Ourselves
There’s this perception that we think we’re making some important decisions, but we don’t realize that the small ones make a big difference over time. There will always be someone who will try and convince us of doing something that they think is best for us – but the only person who knows what’s right for you is yourself.
It can be scary to make some decisions on our own, especially when we’re worried about the consequences, but it has to come with time and experience – and there’s no way around this. However, once we know who’s decision is the right one, it won’t be long before we know what to do in any situation.
10. All that Really Matters are the Relationships between our Actions
Yes, money can buy us many things that make life easier – but at the end of the day, everything that’s most valuable to us has no price tag. Life is really made up of small moments – it’s how we spend these moments that can make all the difference. Instead of thinking about what we have, spending time appreciating what other people are doing for us becomes something precious.
This doesn’t mean that life will be filled with nothing but good news, but rather to value the less fortunate moments no matter how much they might seem. It’s the little things that make life worth living, and it’s this love for what we have that can make all the difference in someone else’s life.
11. Something Out of Nothing is Just a Spell Away
Although it may come as a surprise to some, magic isn’t real, and while we might get what we want through spells, it only creates the illusion of having someone or something that’s always there for us. Notice how these spells never work where we need them – they’re just magic tricks to get something out of nothing.
It’s not enough to rely on things like spells and charms to get the things we want, but rather to do what really matters – nothing more than acting on our desires. Nothing will come out of just wishing for it, and there’s really no one else who’s going to make it happen for us.
12. Just Checking off all the Details Doesn’t Mean We’re Ready
Many people are afraid of being judged – which is why they want to have everything in order before they’re able to take any action. Unfortunately, this fear of being wrong stops them from trying something new, and while this seems like a safer alternative, it’s not going to get anyone anywhere.
The truth about life is that nothing ever works out perfectly, and any fear is not going to get us anywhere – instead, we should try and get out there and do it! There’s never a perfect time for something like this, but once we start taking that first step forward, we’ll eventually start seeing improvements in what we want.
13. It’s Not about Shedding the Mask but Learning to Love the One who’s Underneath
Being yourself doesn’t mean that you have to show everyone who you are right away, but rather to allow yourself to become comfortable with your true self. It takes time for anyone to learn what they really want – and this isn’t always an easy process because it can be difficult finding happiness in something that seems out of reach.
During these times, it can be easy for someone to lose themselves in their search, but the only way to get back on track is to persevere – because once they do, everything changes for the better. Of course, this doesn’t mean that their life will become perfect overnight, but rather learn what makes them happy and cherish everything they have.
14. Time Really is the Greatest Teacher
If there’s one thing to learn, it’s how time can really make a difference in our lives – no matter whether we believe it or not. On the surface, this might just seem like something that makes us sad, but many benefits of this can really help us grow. Even though time changes everything, it always works in our favor – which is why we should try and embrace everything that comes with this change.
If there’s something about life that you regret not doing, then it’s never too late to make up for whatever you’ve missed out on. It might seem like you’ve missed your chance, but that’s because many people waste time thinking about what might have been instead of just getting out there and doing it.
15. The Only Thing Certain is the Fact that Everything Will Change
There are so many different things to consider when we think about life, even if it doesn’t always seem like it. It’s easy to get caught up in the moment and lose track of what we really want because we keep on changing our minds – but this doesn’t mean that it’s something that needs to be kept hidden away.
There’s no other way to live unless we’re willing to change, and this can come with its challenges but isn’t something to be afraid of. If we’re going to embrace the change, then it’s important that we try and make a difference in whatever way possible – because this will help us grow as a person and become who we really want to be.
Conclusion: Essentialism
McKeown does a fantastic job of providing actionable advice on how to live an essentialist life. It’s not about removing the things you enjoy in your life but making sure they are aligned with what matters most to you and who you want to be.