This is my ongoing series with notes as I explore the concept of Essentialism.
The unimportance of practically everything
Trade-offs: Which problem do I want?
We need space to escape in order to discern the essential few from the trivial many.
For some reason, there is a false association with the word focus. As with choice, people tend to think of focus as a thing. Yes, focus is something we have. But focus is also something we do.
In order to have focus we need to escape to focus.
This doesn’t mean to pick a question or possibility and think about it obsessively. It means creating a space to explore one hundred questions and possibilities. An Essentialist focuses the way our eyes focus; not by fixating on something but by constantly adjusting and adapting to the field of vision.
The faster and busier things get, the more we need to build thinking time into our schedule. And the noisier things get, the more we need to build quiet reflection spaces in which we can truly focus.
Whether you can invest two hours a day, two weeks a year, or even just five minutes every morning, it is important to make space to escape in your busy life.
Nonessentialist
Is too busy doing to think about life
Essentialist
Creates space to escape and explore life