Essentialism (V): The Core Of The Essentialist

So what then is the Core of the Essentialist, the thing that Essentialists should be about?

McKeown starts with some basic mindset assumptions:

1)  Individual choice:  "We can choose how to spend our energy and our time."

2)  The prevalence of noise:  "Almost everything is noise, and a very few things are exceptionally valuable."

3)  The reality of trade offs:  "We can't have or do it all...Once we accept the reality of trade-offs, we stop asking 'How can I make it all work?' and start asking the more honest question 'Which problem do I want to solve?'"

How do we get to this point of  decision?  There is a simple, three step method that McKeown proposes.

1)  Explore:  Discerning the trivial many from the vital few

To do this, the Essentialist explores and evaluates many options before committing to any one of them. In fact, they explore more options than the Nonessentialist to make sure they make the right choice.

The Nonessentialist

(Source: Essentialism, p. 21)

The Essentialist

(Source: Essentialism, p. 22)

As mentioned before, this is a combination of "What do I feel deeply inspired by?", "What am I particularly talented at?", and "What meets a significant need in the world?"

An important point, says McKeown, is that "We're not just looking for a plethora of good things to do.  We are looking for our highest level of contribution: the right thing the right way at the right time."

2)  Eliminate:  Cutting out the trivial many

Once we have decided on that vital few, we need to eliminate the trivial many.  To do this, we need to acknowledge that we will say "no" to someone or something.  And it is not just the saying of no, it is "about having the emotional discipline necessary to say no to social pressure."  

Given the reality of tradeoffs, we cannot choose everything - but if we do not choose for ourselves, others will choose for us.

3)  Execute:  Removing obstacles and making execution effortless.

To most, says McKeown, execution feels like something hard and difficult, something we have to "make happen".  Essentialists are different:  "Instead of fording execution, Essentialists invest the time they have saved into creating a system for removing obstacles and making execution as easy as possible."

Essentialism

(Source: Essentialism, p. 241)

Years from now, suggests McKeown, we may have many regrets - but he believes Essentialism will not be one of them: "What would you trade then to be back here now for one chance - this chance - to be true to yourself?  On that day, what will you hope you decided to do on this one?"

Or, as quoted before, "Tell me, what is it you plan to do/with your one wild and precious life?" (Mary Oliver)