Essentialism: Week 1 Reflection
In my college courses, we often had to write discussion posts reflecting on readings from the week. I found the online discussion format pointless, but I really valued the consistent practice of writing the reflections.
Week of January 14 - 20, 2024
In my college courses, we often had to write discussion posts reflecting on readings from the week. I found the online discussion format pointless, but I really valued the consistent practice of writing the reflections. While I don't expect to receive at least two comments to my post, I wanted to share my thoughts on what I've read this week. For this first week my goal was to read Part I: Essence which includes the first four chapters.
The first chapter recounts the story of an executive that improves his productivity by learning to say no to non-essential things. As McKeown describes it, "But by being selective he bought himself space, and in that space he found creative freedom." This reminded me of a quote attributed to Victor Frankl. It is doubtful that he actually said this, but the thought is similar.
Between stimulus and response there is space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom.
What a profound way of looking at decision making. I think we often get hung up on the problem or the solution, but we never look at the space in between. Much of our work and thinking happens in the space between the discovery of a problem and the implementation of a solution. I find that I often try to fast-forward through this time - like skipping the ads in a television show. It's not why we show up for work, but it's really what pays the bills.
Majoring in Minor Activities
The idea of "majoring in minor activities" resonated with me. I am a self-described jack of all trades and master of none. One of my greatest faults is finishing things. I'm always excited to start new things, and I know that is one of my greatest strengths. Marcus Buckingham's Stand Out Assessment identifies me as a Pioneer, which means I love exploring the unknown. It's also my biggest weakness, because I often move on to something new before I ever finish the last thing. In this way I think I'm the quintessential non-essentialist described by McKeown in the book.
I love the idea presented in the book - Weniger aber besser: less but better. Mastery is the direct product of focus. I think we are all familiar with the idea of 10,000 hours of master, but how many of us are actually interested in mastering anything. I know that I enjoy too many things to really focus that amount of time to mastering a single pursuit. Mastery is probably not for me, but I see the value in narrowing my focus in order to progress in a particular pursuit. I guess I value adaptability over mastery, but I also realize that balance is necessary. In a world of limited resources - specifically time - we have to make tough decisions about doing less but better.
Experience
I think in this way essentialism is about balance. McKeown describes it as, "not about how to get more things done; it's about how to get the right things done." Determining the right things requires discernment and wisdom that often comes after an investment of time and energy. In this way, I feel that essentialism is an old man's game. You really need to have lived the mistakes of non-essentialism in order to see the value of doing less but better. Only once you've been pulled in a million directions can you see the value of a singular focus.
Essentialism is for those with experience and not for the newly initiated. It is also something that requires practice. McKeown points out that, "Essentialsim is a disciplined, systematic approach for determining where our highest point of contribution lies, then making execution of those things almost effortless." It reminds me of D.T. Suzuki's descriptions of Zen. If you are having to think about it, then you are probably not realizing the full potential.
If there is anything Zen strongly emphasizes it is the attainment of freedom; that is, freedom from all unnatural encumbrances. Meditation is something artificially put on; it does not belong to the native activity of the mind. Upon what do the fowls of the air meditate? Upon what do the fish in the water meditate? They fly; they swim. Is not that enough? Who wants to fix his mind on the unity of God and man, or on the nothingness of life?
D.T. Suzuki
In this way, I think essentialism as described by McKeown embodies a kind of freedom. The freedom that always exists be we often do not recognize. As McKeown puts it, "It is about pausing constantly to ask, 'Am I investing in the right activities?'." The concept here is more of a lens that is used to examine the world. It also acknowledges that there is not enough time or energy to do it all. Living requires choices about what gets done, and the question we must ask is who is making that choice for us.
Role of Privilege
One of the biggest critiques I have so far is that the perspective of the book is one of privilege. The author posits at the beginning of the book that in our modern world we have unprecedented choice, but for many their reality is one of survival and limited choice. Obviously this book is written towards an audience that is financial stable and has all the things they need in their life, but the philosophy doesn't seem to account for those that don't have choices. It comes across as a philosophy for white-collar workers in wealthy nations. I question the value of the philosophy for those that don't really fit the target audience.
I think that for some people becoming discovering their highest point of contribution can never be actualized because of the circumstances that they find themselves in. More often than not, I think people are what the author refers to as Nonessentialist not by choice or ignorance but due to things that are completely out of their control. I am heartened that this is not always the case. Even those who have very limited choices do to poverty, governmental control, or other circumstances find ways to prioritize what is essential to them. Often this takes the form of family, and choice is often the thing sacrificed in order to ensure that those loved ones are not limited by the same circumstances.
Purpose and Strengths
Throughout the book I was constantly remind of books I've read on leadership concerning mission and vision. McKeown's idea of Essentialism resonates with these other works, and I think there is a kernel of truth that is worth exploring. There is a lot of value to an organization if leaders can get clear on what the essential mission. It's really hard for a group of people to pursue a common goal if the destination is not clearly defined.
Nathan Bailey
Additionally, I'm reminded of Gallup's Strength Finder and the importance of focusing on strengths rather than weaknesses. In order to select essential activities, you have to know what you greatest point of contribution is. Knowing your strengths allows you to identify areas where you can be most effective, and I think it parallels the idea of essentialism.
Nathan Bailey
Closing Thoughts
So far I'm really enjoying Essentialism, and I think there is a lot of value to be pulled from its pages. I'd recommend the book if you are looking for a thoughtful read that helps you reflect on your commitments. I will be continuing to reflect and unpack the book in future posts. You can follow along with