Book · Focus and productivity · 2014
Essentialism
Greg McKeown · 21 chapters
The Useful verdict: Read 5 of the 21 chapters: the core idea, trade-offs, the 90 percent rule, saying no and cutting losses. The rest adds stories around them.
The book in 60 seconds
Greg McKeown argues that trying to do everything means doing nothing well. The Essentialist does less but better: pick the few things that matter, cut the rest with a graceful no, and make the important work easy with buffers and routines. The book runs in 4 parts: essence, explore, eliminate and execute.
Your time
About 2.5 hours to read the parts that matter, instead of about 7 hours for the whole book.
Based on about 272 pages at 40 pages an hour, with skimmed parts counted at a third.
Raja's take
Read chapter 11 before you answer your next big request. Saying no politely is a skill, and this chapter teaches it. Keep the 90 percent rule from chapter 9 for every decision after that.
Read only these chapters
Tap any chapter. Read: ch. 1, ch. 4, ch. 9, ch. 11 and ch. 12.
1. The Essentialist
Less but better: do fewer things and do them well. The idea the whole book builds on.
4 ideas from this book
The 90 percent rule
Score an option out of 100. Anything under 90 counts as a no.
Separate the decision from the relationship
Saying no to the request is not saying no to the person.
The reverse question
If I weren't already doing this, how much would I put into it now?
Pick your problem
Every choice has a trade-off. Ask which problem you would rather have.
Read it if
You say yes to too much and your days fill up with other people's priorities.
Skip it if
Your problem is distraction, not too many commitments. Read Deep Work or Indistractable.
Quick answers
Is Essentialism worth reading?
Yes, but not all of it. Read 5 of its 21 chapters: ch. 1, ch. 4, ch. 9, ch. 11 and ch. 12. The rest adds stories around them.
Which parts of Essentialism should I read?
Read ch. 1, ch. 4, ch. 9, ch. 11 and ch. 12. Skim the parts marked skim for their 1 idea, and skip the rest on a first read.
Who is Essentialism for?
You say yes to too much and your days fill up with other people's priorities. Skip it if: Your problem is distraction, not too many commitments. Read Deep Work or Indistractable.
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