The Introducing Essentialism Series: Part Two

There’s a moment in every essentialist journey when the idea becomes real. It’s often quiet. You’re looking at your crowded calendar or thinking about how scattered your attention feels, and you realize: something needs to shift. Not dramatically, but intentionally.

Essentialism is not about squeezing more efficiency out of a busy life. It’s about stepping back far enough to see what truly deserves your energy — and then protecting that space with a kind of gentle discipline. For someone picking up these ideas for the first time, this part of the journey is usually where the real work begins.

And it starts with a surprisingly simple invitation: What actually matters here?

Explore — Learning to Discern the Essential

Most people try to decide what matters while they’re already overwhelmed, which rarely works. Essentialism asks for something that feels almost radical in a busy world: space to think.

A few minutes of intentional clarity can change how an entire week unfolds.

Creating Space to Think

You don’t need a retreat or a silent room. Even a small pause in your day — ten minutes without your phone — can be enough for your mind to settle. When you can hear yourself think, priorities start to separate from noise.

Some people journal. Some go for a short walk. Some simply sit quietly. The method doesn’t matter as much as the space you create.

Asking Better Questions

Greg McKeown often suggests that essentialists learn to ask sharper questions. A few that tend to open things up:

• “If I could only move one thing forward this week, what would it be?”
• “Which task has the highest meaning or impact — not urgency?”
• “What would I choose if I wasn’t trying to please everyone?”

The answers often reveal more than we expect, sometimes uncomfortably so.

The 90% Rule

A simple rule with surprisingly strong power: If something doesn’t score at least a 90 out of 100 in importance, meaning, or alignment… treat it as a no.

It isn’t about perfection. It’s about protecting space for the things that deserve your best energy, not your leftover energy.

Sometimes the biggest shift in essentialism is realizing that good things can still crowd out what’s essential.

Eliminate — Removing the Nonessential

If exploring helps you see what matters, eliminating is the part where things get uncomfortable. This is where essentialism diverges sharply from minimalism. It’s not about decluttering objects; it’s about decluttering commitments, obligations, and hidden expectations.

Learning to Say No

Most people struggle here. Not because they’re weak, but because they care. But essentialism reframes saying no as an act of protection, not rejection. Every yes is a withdrawal from your limited attention.

Some no’s can be soft: “I’d love to help, but I can’t commit fully right now.”

Others need to be firm: “This doesn’t align with my priorities at the moment.”

Both are valid.

Avoiding the Sunk Cost Trap

We often continue projects, roles, or habits simply because we’ve invested in them. Essentialism asks a harder question:

“Would I choose this today, knowing what I know now?”

If the answer is no, the essentialist path invites release — not as failure, but clarity.

Setting Boundaries Without Guilt

Boundaries aren’t walls; they’re agreements about where your energy goes.Protecting your time allows you to show up fully where it actually matters.

Uncommitting (The Often Forgotten Step)

Many people commit easily but rarely uncommit. Essentialism encourages both, thoughtfully.

Letting go of nonessential commitments gives your essential work room to breathe.

Execute — Making the Essential Effortless

Once you’ve identified what matters and removed what doesn’t, execution becomes less about force and more about flow.

Building Systems That Support You

Essentialists don’t rely on motivation. They rely on structure. Simple systems— like batching similar tasks or creating routines for meaningful work—remove friction and reduce decision fatigue.

The Power of Routines

A good routine doesn’t restrict you; it frees you. It eliminates unnecessary choices so your energy can go toward something meaningful.

Buffer Time

Life doesn’t unfold neatly. Essentialists include margin — small pockets of unscheduled time that absorb the unexpected.

The buffer isn’t wasted space; it’s what keeps the meaningful work from collapsing under stress.

Subtraction over Addition

Instead of asking, “What should I add?”Essentialists ask, “What can I remove to make this easier?”

Sometimes the best improvement is simply reducing steps until the important thing becomes the obvious thing.

Common Challenges (And How to Move Through Them)

Even with clarity, essentialism isn’t simple. It asks you to make choices most people avoid.

FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)

You will miss things. That’s unavoidable. Essentialism helps you miss the right things — the ones that don’t support your deeper direction.

Guilt About Saying No

This softens over time. Not all at once. Most people respect clear boundaries more than unclear yeses.

Workplace Cultures That Reward Busyness

Busyness is often mistaken for importance. But results — meaningful, focused results — usually come from calm attention, not frantic activity.

Sometimes practicing essentialism quietly influences the culture around you.

A Helpful Reframing: Essentialism as an Ongoing Conversation

Rather than a strict discipline, many people find it easier to think of essentialism as a conversation with themselves:

• What matters now?
• What matters later?
• What no longer matters?

Your answers will shift. That’s expected.

One Last Thought Before You Go

Essentialism is not about squeezing your life into a smaller box. It’s about expanding into the parts of life that actually feel meaningful.

Some days you will choose well. Some days less so. That’s human.The real practice is returning — again and again — to what matters most and letting the rest fall away.

Not quickly. Not perfectly. Just intentionally.