When it comes to practical books that can impact your daily life immediately, there are perhaps few better than Essentialism and Atomic Habits.
In Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, author Greg McKeown describes essentialism as the philosophy or lifestyle of "less but better." Therefore, an essentialist is someone who:
- Lives by design (not by default)—understands trade-offs and their ability to choose, and therefore spends as much time as possible exploring, listening, debating, questioning, and thinking to discern the vital few from the trivial many (discerns more so they can do less)
In Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones, author James Clear describes atomic habits as:
- The tiny building blocks of remarkable results—a regular practice/routine that is not only easy to do but also the source of incredible power
This post will take these two individually great books to the next level and ask the question: by synthesizing them together, can they become more than the sum of their parts?
I think so.
I believe Essentialism gives you the path (or your "essential mission"), and Atomic Habits gives you the processes to make progress on the path (or your "operating manual").
Premium Post Contents:
- Essentialism: Top 5 Key Takeaways
- Atomic Habits: Top 5 Key Takeaways
- Essentialism + Atomic Habits: Picking a Path & Making Progress
