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Essentialism

Essentialism

The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

Have you ever found yourself struggling with information overload?


Have you ever felt both overworked and underutilised?


Do you ever feel busy but not productive?


If you answered yes to any of these, the way out is to become an essentialist.


In Essentialism, Greg McKeown, CEO of a leadership and strategy agency in Silicon Valley who has run courses at Apple, Google and Facebook, tells you how to achieve what he calls the disciplined pursuit of less. Being an essentialist is about a disciplined way of thinking. It means challenging the core assumptions of "we can have it all" and "I have to do everything" and replacing them with the pursuit of "the right thing in the right way at the right time".

By applying a more selective criteria for what is essential, the pursuit of less allows us to regain control of our own choices so we can channel our time, energy and effort into making the highest possible contribution toward the goals and activities that matter.

Using the experience and insight of working with the leaders of the most innovative companies and organisations in the world, McKeown narrates and tells you how to put Essentialism into practice in your own life, so you, too, can achieve something great.

© Greg McKeown 2014 (P) Penguin Audio 2015

Reviews

  • Greg McKeown’s excellent new book is a much-needed antidote to the stress, burnout and compulsion to “do everything,” that infects us all. It is an essential read for anyone who wants to regain control of their health, wellbeing, and happiness
    Arianna Huffington

About the author

Greg McKeown

Greg McKeown was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. He is the CEO of THIS Inc, a leadership and strategy design agency headquartered in Silicon Valley. He has taught at companies that include Apple, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Salesforce.com, Twitter and VMware. Originally from London, he now lives in Menlo Park, California with his wife, Anna, and their four children. Greg holds an MBA from Stanford University.
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