Essentialism: How to Do Less, But Better

We live in a world that tells us to do more, be more, have more. We’re hit with opportunities, information and demands and we feel stressed, scattered and unfulfilled. It’s like we’re trying to put an entire pizza in a takeout box!

But what if there was another way? A simpler, more intentional way of life that did less, but better?

That’s the power of Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown. This isn’t another productivity hack; it’s a philosophy, a way of thinking and living that prioritises the essential few over the trivial many.

It’s about:

• Making choices: Instead of reacting to every opportunity or demand that comes our way.

• Eliminating the non-essential: Saying “no” to the good so we can say “YES” to the great!

• Creating space for what matters: So we can make our highest contribution to the world and live a life of meaning and joy!

Let’s get into the main ideas of Essentialism and see how we can apply it to our lives as students and beyond:

The Paradox of Success: How Success Can Lead to Failure

This is the mind-blowing insight that really shook me up when I first read the book. It’s called the “Paradox of Success," and here’s how it works:

1. We have clarity of purpose.

2. That clarity enables us to succeed.

3. Success leads to new options and opportunities (which is awesome!).

4. Those options distract us from what made us successful in the first place!

It’s like this: we get good grades, so we take on more extracurricular activities. We land a great internship, so we commit to more projects. We start a side hustle, so we try to squeeze in another side hustle!

The result? We’re spread too thin, our work suffers, we feel stressed and overwhelmed, and we end up losing the very clarity and focus that led to our initial success!

As Greg puts it:

"Curiously, and overstating the point in order to make it, the pursuit of success can be a catalyst for failure. Put another way, success can distract us from focusing on the essential things that produce success in the first place."

We Can't Have It All – The Importance of Trade-Offs

The solution? We have to embrace trade-offs!

We live in a world obsessed with “having it all” and “doing it all”, but that's a myth! We’re constantly making choices, even when we don’t realize it. Every time we say yes to one thing, we’re saying no to countless other things!

"Trade-offs are real, in both our personal and our professional lives, and until we accept that reality we’ll be doomed to be… stuck in a “straddled strategy” that forces us to make sacrifices on the margins by default that we might not have made by design."

Consider this:

• Binge-watching Netflix means saying no to studying for that exam.

• Spending hours on social media means saying no to hanging out with friends or working on that passion project.

• Saying yes to every social event means saying no to the downtime we need to recharge and be our best selves.

The Disciplined Pursuit of Less - How to Be an Essentialist

Here are some of the strategies from Essentialism I’ve been using in my own life and that I think will work for you too:

1. Explore & Evaluate: Essentialists don’t just react to opportunities or say yes to everything. They take time to explore options, weigh pros and cons and ask tough questions. They are picky!

2. Eliminate the Nonessential: This is where it gets real! It’s about making those tough choices, saying no to the good so you can say "HELL YES!" to the great!

3. Execute Effortlessly: By eliminating the distractions and obstacles, Essentialists make execution feel almost automatic. They design routines, build systems and create an environment that supports their goals. It’s not about brute force or willpower; it’s about working smarter!

Essentialist Strategies: 9 Powerful Tips for Simplifying Your Life

1. Get Space to Think: You can’t make those tough decisions or figure out what really matters when you’re constantly being bombarded by demands and distractions. Schedule time for solitude, even if it’s just 30 minutes a day, and use that space to reflect, read or just think.

2. Listen Deep & Filter: Don’t just consume information passively; actively listen for those hidden gems, those insights others might miss.

3. Play & Rediscover Wonder: Play isn’t just for kids. It sparks creativity, reduces stress and helps us see the world with fresh eyes.

4. Protect the Asset – Prioritize Sleep: We sacrifice sleep for productivity but getting enough rest is one of the most important things we can do to be our best selves! It enhances our cognitive function, boosts creativity and makes us more resilient and focused!

5. Apply the 90% Rule: When evaluating opportunities or making decisions ask yourself, “On a scale of 1 to 10, is this a 9 or 10?”. If not, it’s a no (even if it seems like a good opportunity!). This forces you to be more selective and helps you avoid getting bogged down in the “pretty good.”

6. Say No Gracefully (and Often!): This is hard, but essential! People-pleasing will sabotage your efforts to live an essentialist life. Learn to say no firmly, politely and unapologetically!

7. Uncommit from Sunk Costs: We’ve all poured time, energy or money into things that just weren’t working, right? It’s called “sunk cost bias” and it’s a trap! Don’t be afraid to walk away from a project, a relationship or even a goal that’s no longer serving you!

8. Edit Your Life: Just like an editor cuts the unnecessary words from a manuscript, look for ways to cut the non-essential activities, commitments and possessions from your life. This allows the truly essential things to shine through!

9. Set Boundaries: Whether it’s at school, work or in your personal life, boundaries are crucial! Protect your time, energy and attention from those demands and distractions that threaten your ability to focus on what really matters.

Now Design a Life You Love (By Subtracting What Doesn’t Matter!)

Essentialism isn’t about deprivation or doing less for the sake of less. It’s about being more intentional, more focused and more fulfilled! It’s about making choices that align with your values and contribute to a life of meaning and purpose.

Here are a few things to think about as you start to practice essentialism in your own life:

• What are your biggest time wasters?

• What commitments are sucking the life out of you and preventing you from focusing on what matters?

• What would it look like to live life on purpose rather than by default?

We get to choose what we focus on not just react to what comes our way. We get to be in control not controlled.

Now it’s YOUR turn! What resonated with you from this post? What’s ONE thing you can eliminate from your life today to make space for what truly matters? Share your thoughts in the comments below!