The Disciplined Pursuit of Less:
A Book Review of Essentialism by Greg McKeown

By Dave Carpenter

If you’re someone who feels constantly stretched too thin, or if you’ve ever looked back at your week and wondered where your time and energy went, Greg McKeown’s Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less might just change your life. It’s not about doing less for the sake of laziness—it’s about doing less so you can do better. For anyone approaching or already in retirement, that message hits home. The ability to focus on what truly matters is the difference between merely surviving and truly thriving.

The Heart of Essentialism

McKeown defines Essentialism as “a disciplined, systematic approach for determining where our highest point of contribution lies.” In a world that constantly shouts “more,” Essentialism whispers “better.” The essentialist isn’t trying to do everything—they’re deliberately choosing to focus on what really matters and letting go of the rest.

“If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will.”

That single sentence summarizes the trap so many of us fall into—at work, in family obligations, and even in retirement. Our calendars fill up, our energy drains, and before long, we’re reacting to life rather than directing it. Essentialism invites us to pause, reflect, and choose purposefully.

How This Applies to Thriving Into Retirement

Retirement isn’t just about having more time—it’s about using your time more meaningfully. Many of us enter retirement thinking we’ll finally “do it all.” But McKeown’s message reminds us that true fulfillment comes from doing fewer things, more intentionally.

Whether it’s deciding which volunteer roles to accept, which hobbies to pursue, or how to spend time with family, Essentialism encourages us to stop scattering our attention and instead invest deeply in what brings joy and purpose. For those moving into the “third act” of life, that clarity can be liberating.

The question isn’t “How can I fit more into my retirement?”—it’s “What truly matters most now?”

Favorite Quotes from Essentialism

• “The way of the Essentialist means living by design, not by default.”
• “You cannot overestimate the unimportance of practically everything.”
• “When we forget our ability to choose, we learn to be helpless.”
• “If it isn’t a clear yes, then it’s a clear no.”
• “Essentialism is not about how to get more things done; it’s about how to get the right things done.”

These aren’t just clever lines—they’re guiding principles for living with clarity and purpose. They remind us that less isn’t loss; it’s liberation.