• Instead of spinning his wheels trying to get everything done, he could get the right things done.
• Essentialism is a disciplined, systematic approach for determining where our highest point of contribution lies, then making execution of those things almost effortless.
• studies have found that we tend to value things we already own more highly than they are worth and thus that we find them more difficult to get rid
• live a life true to yourself, not the life others expect from you.
• Essentialists systematically explore and evaluate a broad set of options before committing to any.
• certain types of effort yield higher rewards than others.
• learned more, earned more, and contributed more.
• at a certain point, more effort causes our progress to plateau and even stall.
• We’re not going to do a thousand different things that really won’t contribute much to the end result we are trying to achieve.’ ”
• “What is the trade-off I want to make?”
• “What can I go big on?”
• The purpose of the exploration is to discern the vital few from the trivial many.
• While Nonessentialists automatically react to the latest idea, jump on the latest opportunity, or respond to the latest e-mail, Essentialists choose to create the space to explore and ponder.
• Before you can evaluate what is and isn’t essential, you first need to explore your options. While Nonessentialists automatically react to the latest idea, jump on the latest opportunity, or respond to the latest e-mail, Essentialists choose to create the space to explore and ponder.
• In every set of facts, something essential is hidden.
• The best journalists do not simply relay information. Their value
• The best journalists do not simply relay information. Their value is in discovering what really matters to people.
• They begin with the basic assumption that they would rather be understaffed than hire the wrong person quickly.
• Here’s a simple, systematic process you can use to apply selective criteria to opportunities that come your way. First, write down the opportunity. Second, write down a list of three “minimum criteria” the options would need to “pass” in order to be considered. Third, write down a list of three ideal or “extreme criteria” the options would need to “pass” in order to be considered. By definition, if the opportunity doesn’t pass the first set of criteria, the answer is obviously no. But if it also doesn’t pass two of your three extreme criteria, the answer is still no.
• studies have found that we tend to value things we already own more highly than they are worth, and thus find them more difficult to get rid of.