Essentialism

by Greg McKeown
Essentialism cover
Good Books rating 4.2
Business and Economics
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Paperback • £12.99
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Format • £12.34
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Technical
  • ID: 262
  • Added: 2025-09-06
  • Updated: 2025-11-01
  • ISBN: 9780753555163
  • Publisher: Random House
  • Published: 2014-01-01
  • Formats: 89
  • Reviews: 3

Essentialism by Greg McKeown is a transformative approach to productivity and decision-making, advocating for the disciplined pursuit of less. McKeown, a CEO and consultant for top companies like Apple and Google, challenges the notion that we can have it all and instead promotes a selective criteria for what is essential. By focusing on the right things in the right way at the right time, readers can regain control of their choices and channel their energy into what truly matters. The book is not just about productivity but also about regaining control over one's life. McKeown shares insights and experiences from working with leaders of innovative companies, providing practical advice on how to apply Essentialism in personal and professional life. This approach helps individuals achieve greater success and fulfillment by eliminating non-essentials and focusing on what truly contributes to their goals.

Reviews
Goodreads · 2025-10-18
Great 4.10

The book is praised for its informative and intuitive approach to simplicity. It is seen as a valuable guide for those seeking to implement simplicity in their lives.

The reviewer loves the book and finds it highly informative and intuitive. They appreciate how it guides readers towards simplicity and intentional living. The book's practical advice and engaging writing style make it a standout read for anyone looking to declutter their life and focus on what truly matters. The reviewer finds the book's message both inspiring and actionable.

Quick quotes

    I loved this book!

    As someone who's trying to implement simplicity in my life, I found this book to be informative, intuitive, and interesting.

    Greg McKeown made this an engaging and entertaining read.

rochizalani.com · Unknown · 2025-09-20
impactful 4.50

The reviewer found 'Essentialism' deeply relatable and impactful, highlighting its practical advice on focusing on what truly matters. The book's structure and personal anecdotes made the concepts clear and actionable, particularly the emphasis on discerning essential from non-essential tasks and the importance of saying 'no'.

The reviewer was immediately hooked by 'Essentialism' as the opening story resonated deeply with their own experiences of being stretched too thin. The book's four-part structure effectively breaks down the essentialist mindset, offering practical advice on how to discern the vital few from the trivial many. The reviewer appreciated the personal anecdotes and the emphasis on the importance of sleep and saying 'no' to non-essential tasks. The book's insights on creating clarity of purpose and making essentialism a sustainable practice were particularly impactful. The reviewer plans to implement these lessons in their own life, especially focusing on better time management and prioritizing essential tasks.

Quick quotes

    From the first four pages, I was hooked. The opening story of the capable executive, who was stretched too thin and needed to focus only on what truly mattered, spoke to me.

    Another key element of essentialism is focusing on the right things, or the essential things.

    The author also illustrates this in practice using an example of blocking time to write to book itself. He dedicated eight hours each day to writing Essentialism.

clarissalucas.com · Unknown · 2024-01-15
good 4.00

Essentialism by Greg McKeown is highly recommended for its focus on prioritizing what truly matters. The book emphasizes distinguishing the vital few from the trivial many, though it may not resonate with everyone due to its repetitive nature and lack of acknowledgment of different life circumstances.

Essentialism by Greg McKeown is a standout self-help book that advocates for focusing on what truly matters. The core idea is to distinguish the vital few from the trivial many, encouraging readers to invest their time and energy wisely. The book is filled with engaging stories and anecdotes, though it can feel repetitive and may not appeal to everyone. It's particularly useful for those feeling overwhelmed and seeking a more focused approach to life. However, the book's examples often revolve around privileged individuals, and its black-and-white perspective on essentialism may not align with everyone's reality. Despite these shortcomings, Essentialism offers valuable insights for smarter planning and prioritization.

Quick quotes

    Essentialism is 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.

    We overvalue nonessentials 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 word priority came into the English language in the 1400s. It was singular. It meant the very first or prior thing. It stayed singular for the next five hundred years. Only in the 1900s did we pluralize the term and start talking about priorities.

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