The Art of Essentialism

"An Essentialist produces more- brings forth more- by removing more instead of doing more" ( McKeown, pg 189)

While on vacation in Costa Rica, I had the opportunity to read Essentialism by Greg McKeown. Essentialism is not about getting more done in less time but instead is centered around getting the right things done: the things that truly matter. Like anything else, understanding essentialism and actually putting it into practice are two different things. This approach to life with the pursuit of less allows us to reclaim control of daily choices and really place value on the time and energy we expend.

Essentialism is not something to do in addition to everything else you do, but rather a new approach to doing everything. When we are spread so thin, something always suffers so doing less and doing it well not only yields higher quality fruit but also leaves one feeling more accomplished.

For those who know me, this might sound totally weird, since I tend to take pride in juggling fifteen different things at once, however, the older I get, the more I recognize the value of my time and energy. Identifying this value helps me become more present to the people, projects, and things I freely give to. After reading this book, I have been very aware of who I want to be in this next season of life. I have sold a few businesses and am really focused on "living" rather than "doing.” That does not mean I am quitting. It simply means, that I value my time and energy and have made the decision for myself that simplifying my life is what I want in so many ways.

While I know I can function at a high capacity, I am excited to see what life is like on the opposite end of the spectrum. I encourage you to not only read this amazing book but put it into practice in some areas of your life. There is such freedom in simplifying everything. Like I have always said at Jackie, quality over quantity, and that truly is the motto for every decision I make from who to talk to what ventures to pursue. I want substance, I want to do only those things that really matter.

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