Chapter 1 introduces the concept of essentialism through the narrative of Sam Elliot, a Silicon Valley executive who improved his work-life balance by focusing on essential tasks only. This disciplined pursuit of less isn’t about doing less but doing what truly matters, which means grappling with trade-offs and making tough decisions.

Drawing from his personal experience, Greg McKeown outlines the pitfalls of nonessentialism, which involves the paradox of success, the abundance of choices, and societal pressures that distract people from essential tasks. He warns against the belief that people can do everything and have everything, a myth that often leaves individuals overwhelmed and disconnected from their personal aspirations. On the other hand, essentialism is a systematic approach to forgo nonessential tasks and opportunities and focus on what is truly important, thereby breaking free from social pressures. This concept is explained using three steps: Explore and Evaluate, Eliminate, and Execute. Essentialists critically examine every activity, let go of non-essential tasks despite their value, and maintain a system to execute only the most essential tasks. This discipline isn’t a one-time process but should be applied each time one faces a decision.