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Greg McKeown on Essentialism At Work and In Life

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Jan 27, 2026

Guest

Greg McKeown

Greg McKeown, author and leadership strategist behind Essentialism, helps leaders and companies simplify and focus. He discusses defining essentials, avoiding the success trap of doing more, reclaiming attention from tech, analog habits like journaling and the 1-2-3 daily method, and organizational practices that force clearer priorities. Short, practical conversations about saying no and designing a life by choice.

01:06:35

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INSIGHT

Essentialism Defined

Essentialism is the disciplined pursuit of less: explore, eliminate, and make essential efforts effortless.
Prioritize deliberately or others will set your agenda and you'll feel busy but unproductive.

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ADVICE

Choose Internal Values Over External Signals

Beware external validation driving your wants; test desires against your internal values.
Ask whether you want something for yourself or because others signal it matters.

insights

INSIGHT

The Success Trap

Success creates options that can undermine the focus that produced the success.
The undisciplined pursuit of more is a success trap that never naturally ends.

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Essentialism Defined: Explore, Eliminate, Effortless

02:44 • 2min

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The Success Trap and Undisciplined More

04:57 • 3min

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Noise, Social Media, and Technoférence

07:33 • 3min

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Silence, Journaling, and Reclaiming Attention

10:15 • 2min

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AI, Disorientation, and Who's Using Who

11:59 • 3min

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Campus Pressure and External Validation

14:36 • 3min

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Anchors and Counterfeit Productivity

Pen, Paper, and Flow for Creativity

24:24 • 49sec

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AI's Limitations and Maintaining Judgment

25:13 • 4min

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Technology Assumptions: Email's Default Priorities

28:48 • 2min

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Organizational Essentialism: CEO Case Study

30:39 • 5min

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Priority Conversations and Giving Permission

35:17 • 4min

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One-Two-Three Daily Method and Done List

39:04 • 4min

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Values, Trade-offs, and Dualities

43:18 • 3min

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Explore Widely, Then 90% Rule Filter

Feedback: Open to It, Not Absorbent

50:11 • 5min

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Human Shadow and Honest Self-Assessment

54:54 • 8min

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Quarterly Reviews and the 90-Day Planner

01:02:47 • 4min

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Big Need: Understanding Each Other

• Mentioned in 140 episodes

From Strength to Strength

Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life

Arthur C Brooks

In 'From Strength to Strength', Arthur C. Brooks addresses the inevitable decline in abilities that comes with aging and provides a practical guide on how to transform this period into an opportunity for growth. Drawing on social science, philosophy, biography, theology, and eastern wisdom, as well as interviews with everyday men and women, Brooks advocates for refocusing on priorities such as deep wisdom, detachment from empty rewards, connection and service to others, and spiritual progress. He argues that by adapting our expectations and focusing on these areas, we can achieve increased happiness and purpose in our later years.

#81

• Mentioned in 188 episodes

A World Without Email

Reimagining Work in an Age of Communication Overload

Cal Newport

In 'A World Without Email', Cal Newport argues that the constant digital communication, which he terms the 'hyperactive hive mind', has become a productivity disaster. He contends that this workflow, driven by email and other messaging tools, reduces profitability, slows economic growth, and makes workers miserable. Newport proposes a workplace where clear processes, not haphazard messaging, define task management. He advocates for each person working on fewer tasks but doing them better, with significant investment in support to reduce administrative burdens. The book lays out principles and concrete instructions for streamlining important communication and reducing the central role of inboxes and chat channels in the workplace.

#7691

• Mentioned in 6 episodes

The Essentialism Planner

A 90-Day Guide to Accomplishing More by Doing Less

Greg McKeown

The Essentialism Planner is a content-rich, 90-day guide that helps users break down their year into manageable quarters. It is based on the principles outlined in Greg McKeown's bestselling book 'Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less'. The planner aims to assist users in discerning the vital few tasks from the trivial many, making deliberate choices, and executing their plans with minimal effort. It includes sections for monthly and weekly overviews, reflection spaces, and tools to simplify and focus on what is truly essential.

#25

• Mentioned in 315 episodes

Essentialism

The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

Greg McKeown

In 'Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less,' Greg McKeown argues that by applying a more selective criteria for what is essential, individuals can regain control of their time and energy. The book is divided into sections such as Explore, Eliminate, and Execute, providing practical advice on distinguishing the vital few from the trivial many and eliminating non-essential activities. McKeown emphasizes the importance of clarity of focus, the ability to say 'no,' and living 'by design, not by default. ' This approach helps readers achieve more by doing less and making the highest possible contribution in their personal and professional lives.

#131

• Mentioned in 139 episodes

Effortless

Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most

Greg McKeown

In 'Effortless', Greg McKeown offers practical tools and strategies for achieving more with less effort. The book is organized into three parts: the effortless state, effortless action, and effortless results. McKeown argues that not everything has to be hard and provides methods for turning tedious tasks into enjoyable rituals, preventing frustration, setting a sustainable pace, and automating essential tasks. His philosophy emphasizes the importance of finding easier ways to accomplish what matters most, rather than perpetually overexerting oneself.

Greg McKeown⁠ changed the way so many leaders think about life with his New York Times Bestselling book, ⁠Essentialism⁠. He is the founder and CEO of McKeown Inc, an organization that helps leading companies like Apple, Google, Pixar and more reach the next level of growth. In addition to Essentialism, Greg is also New York Times bestselling author of ⁠Effortless⁠ and The Essentialism Planner, a world-renowned keynote speaker, and the host of the Greg McKeown Podcast.

On this classic episode, Greg joined host Robert Glazer on the Elevate Podcast to talk about how he prioritizes the essentials in his own life, living a life by design, seeking and implementing feedback, and much more.

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