Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

Chapter 16 explores the concept of subtracting obstacles to achieve better results. The chapter begins with the story of Alex Rogo, who learns about the importance of identifying constraints in a production plant that hinder its overall performance. He applies this concept to a hiking trip with his son and realizes that by moving the slowest hikers at the front of the line and putting the fastest ones in the back, everyone can keep up with the hiker in front of him, and the entire group can move more efficiently.

This counterintuitive but effective strategy also applies to life: The goal is to identify the “slowest hiker” or the main obstacle that is preventing progress in a particular task. Creatively addressing this obstacle significantly improves the overall result, saving time and energy. The essentialist approach focuses on removing obstacles rather than simply adding more effort or resources. It emphasizes the importance of clarity regarding the desired outcome and prioritizing obstacles based on their impact on achieving that outcome.

The chapter provides practical steps to apply this approach, including identifying obstacles, questioning activities that may be counterproductive, and systematically removing the primary obstacle. It also discusses removing obstacles related to interactions with others by adopting a supportive and collaborative approach.

The chapter concludes by emphasizing that removing obstacles does not have to be overwhelming or require a massive effort. In fact, essentialism demands the opposite: “While the Nonessentialist is busy applying more and more pressure and piling on more and more solutions, the Essentialist simply makes a one-time investment in removing obstacles” (188). In this way, small steps and initial momentum can lead to significant improvements and better results.

The Richmond Police Department in Canada implemented a program called Positive Tickets. Instead of focusing solely on catching criminals and imposing punishments, the police rewarded young people for positive behavior, such as throwing litter in a bin or wearing a helmet while biking. The tickets could be redeemed for small rewards, encouraging more positive behavior. Over time, the program significantly reduced recidivism rates.

The chapter highlights the difference between the nonessentialist and essentialist approaches to progress. Nonessentialists strive for big, flashy wins without considering their true importance while essentialists start small and celebrate small acts of progress in essential areas. This creates momentum and small wins to achieve significant breakthroughs. Research shows that progress is a powerful motivator, and small, concrete wins affirm individuals’ beliefs in further success.

Based on decades of research, American psychologist Frederick Herzberg’s 2003 article “One More Time: How Do You Motivate Employees?” is one of the most famous Harvard Business Review articles of all time. It shows that, in the workplace, positive reinforcement produces results: “the two primary internal motivators for people are achievement and recognition for achievement” (196). Even if wins are small, recognizing employees’ efforts in achieving them leads to more and bigger achievements. This creates a cycle of positive reinforcement that develops confidence and, as a result, increases productivity.

To harness the power of small wins, the chapter suggests techniques such as focusing on minimal viable progress, doing minimal viable preparation, and visually rewarding progress. By starting small and celebrating progress along the way, individuals can create systems that make executing projects easier and more rewarding. The chapter concludes by emphasizing that by starting small and building momentum, essential goals can be achieved with less friction and effort.

Chapter 18 explores the concept of routine and its role in enabling the effortless execution of essential tasks. It begins with the example of Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, who followed a precise routine before each race, from his warm-up exercises to his mental preparation. This routine, carefully designed with his coach Bob Bowman, became ingrained to the point that Phelps followed it automatically, allowing him to focus solely on executing the race.

The chapter distinguishes between the nonessentialist and essentialist approaches to routine. Nonessentialists view routine as a burden while essentialists understand its power to simplify executing essentials. By creating routines prioritizing essential tasks, individuals can free up mental space, make execution automatic, and concentrate on other important activities.

The chapter explains how routines work by strengthening neural connections in the brain, making the execution of certain tasks more efficient and automatic over time. It highlights the cognitive advantage of routines, as they allow individuals to simultaneously engage in multiple essential activities without sacrificing focus. Routines can also enhance creativity and innovation by freeing up mental energy from decision-making and expectations.

To harness the power of routine, the chapter suggests strategies such as overhauling triggers, replacing nonessential habits with essential ones, creating new triggers for essential routines, tackling the hardest task first, mixing up routines to avoid boredom, and making changes to routines gradually. As with the other essentialist strategies, starting small is key: “[S]tart with one change in your daily or weekly routine and then build on your progress from there” (213). The chapter acknowledges that changing routines can be challenging, as they often have deep emotional roots, but emphasizes that mastering essential routines can lead to lifelong benefits.

Larry Gelwix, a successful rugby coach, asks his players the question, “What’s important now?” (216) to keep them focused on the present and the task at hand. By eliminating distractions and maintaining a focus on their own game—rather than on their opponents’—Gelwix’s team achieves remarkable success.

The chapter also highlights the distinction between chronos (quantitative, chronological time) and kairos (qualitative, opportune time), which emphasizes the significance of experiencing life in the present moment. The text uses the example of Thich Nhat Hahn, the Vietnamese Buddhist monk, to demonstrate the practice of living in kairos. Essentialists understand the power of being fully present and attuned to what is important now, avoiding distractions and worries about the past or future.

The chapter provides practical techniques for achieving focus, such as determining what is most important at a given moment, getting the future out of one’s head, prioritizing tasks, and pausing to refresh. Journaling aids in these activities by providing time and space for an individual to focus and reflect on their experience. For example, one way to tune into kairos is the think of a time when one has experienced the state of being wholly in the moment and journal about it: “Think about what triggered that moment and what brought you out of it” (223). Ideally, this leads to being able to recreate the experience of kairos by understanding the factors that lead to it. By embracing kairos and cultivating mindfulness, individuals can enhance their ability to focus and find greater joy and peace in the present moment.

The chapter highlights the life of Indian activist Mohandas K. Gandhi and how he “reduc[ed] himself to zero” (225), eliminating the nonessential from his life to focus on his higher purpose of liberating the oppressed. While not everyone needs to replicate Gandhi’s lifestyle, the chapter emphasizes that anyone can embrace essentialism in their own unique way and live a life of simplicity, high contribution, and meaning. The founder of Buddhism, Gautama Buddha, and Moses, the founder of Judaism, are also noted as figures who eschewed wealth and embraced ascetic lifestyles to achieve great spiritual purpose.

The chapter discusses how essentialism can be seen as something one occasionally practices or as something one is, a way of life. It explores the deep roots of essentialism in various spiritual and religious traditions and cites examples of essentialist figures throughout history. The section emphasizes that living as an essentialist is not just about success but about finding fulfillment and making a real impact.

Finally, the chapter distinguishes between being a nonessentialist who occasionally applies essentialist practices and being a true essentialist at the core. It encourages readers to choose their “major” and “minor,” prioritize what truly matters, and eliminate nonessentials. The benefits of living as an essentialist are discussed, including more clarity, control, and joy in the journey. The book concludes by emphasizing that an essentialist life is a life of meaning and encourages readers to embrace essentialism fully and make choices that align with what is truly important in their lives.