Effortless: Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most
Greg McKeown
The New York Times bestselling author of Essentialism takes on the holy grail of human performance: How can we make it easier to get the right things done. Is there a goal you want to make progress on, if only you had the energy. Do you assume that anything worth doing must take tremendous effort. more
272 pages, Hardcover
First published Crown Currency
4.04
Rating
10968
Ratings
1191
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Greg McKeown
9 books 1974 followers
Greg McKeown is a business writer, consultant, and researcher specializing in leadership, strategy design, collective intelligence and human systems. He has authored or co-authored books, including the Wall Street Journal Bestseller, Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter (Harper Business, June 2010), and journal articles.Originally from England, he is now an American citizen, living in Southern California. Greg holds a B.A. in Communications (with an emphasis in journalism) from Brigham Young University and an MBA from Stanford University.
The World Economic Forum inducted Greg into the Forum of Young Global Leaders.
Greg is currently CEO of McKeown, Inc., a leadership and strategy design agency. He has taught at companies that include Apple, Google, Facebook, Salesforce.com, Symantec, Twitter, and VMware. Prior to this, Greg worked for Heidrick & Struggles' Global Leadership Practice assessing senior executives around the world. His work included a project for Mark Hurd (then CEO of Hewlett Packard) assessing the top 300 executives at HP.
Greg is an active Social Innovator and currently serves as a board member for Washington D.C. policy group, Resolve, and as a mentor with 2Seeds, a non-profit incubator for agricultural projects in Africa. And he is a regular keynote speaker at non-profits groups including The Kauffman Fellows Program, St. Jude and the Minnesota Community Education Association.
Community reviews
Effortless got off to a slightly slow start, and I didn’t think I would like it as much as Essentialism. However, it picked up,and I was pleased to be learning skills that can help me keep my focus on the things that really matter. In fact, I put some of his advice to the test today and was pleased with the results. I love Greg McKeown’s heart for helping people keep their lives focused on the people and activities they love. His teachings really have improved my day-to-day life. more
Effortless state-Physically rested, emotionally unburdened, mentally energized-Aware, present, attentive, focused on what matters most with easeInvert-Ask, what if this could be easy. -Find indirect approachesEnjoy-Pair most essential with most enjoyable-Work & play together-Turn tedious into meaningful ritualsRelease-Release emotional burdens-Focus on what you have to get what you lack-Each time you complain to say something you are grateful forRest-Art of doing nothing-Essential work into 3 x 90 min sessionsNotice-Heightened awareness-Focus on the important-To see others more clearly, put their truths above your own-Clear clutter in physical environment before clutter in your mindEffortless action-Accomplishing more by trying less-Stop procrastinating by taking first obvious step-Pace yourselfDefine-What done looks like-Visualize desired outcome-Done for the day listStart-First action most obvious one-Name concrete steps-Start w/ 10 mins of focused activitySimplify-Remove steps-Maximize steps not taken-Measure progressFail cheaplyCreate paceEffortless results-Learn principles-Stand on the shoulders of giants/leverage what they know-Develop unique knowledge-Use teaching to leverage impact-Teach others to teach-Tell stories easily understood and repeatedAutomate-Free up space in brain-Automate as many essential tasks as possible-Make checklists-Single choices to eliminate future decisionsTrust-Make right hires once-Hire for integrity, intelligence, initiative-Clarify results, resources, rules, roles, rewardsPrevent-Solve problems before they happen-Simple actions can prevent complications -Measure twice, cut once. more
#Effortless Thank you to #NetGalley for allowing me to read this book early in exchange for an honest review. Simplicity is key. Effortless is filled with intriguing examples of people finding shortcuts or ways to make things easier. This is an inspiring book about not giving up and instead finding easier, “effortless” ways of doing things that once seemed difficult. McKeown focuses on the theme of working smarter not harder, using interesting case studies and giving gems of advice along the way. more
It’s been a tough year or so, and now that so many of us are contemplating the “new normal,” there are lots more things to make us anxious. And anxiety can cause us to just shut down. Greg McKeown’s Effortless is just the guide you need to help ease you into recognizing that instead of “pushing yourself harder, you find an easier path. ” McKeown sets the tone in the introduction, titled “Not Everything Has to Be So Hard” (which I love, and have adopted as my internal mantra). The rest of the book is broken into three parts: 1) The Effortless State, 2) Effortless Action, and 3) Effortless Results. more
Wow. This is an absolutely inspiring read full of hope and possibility. Imagine what life would feel like if everything we did – all our essential endeavours – were effortless. Well Greg McKeown shows us how this is absolutely possible in his new book, Effortless. In it we learn how to choose the lighter road – the road (sadly, for us) lesser travelled. more
Greg McKeown set the bar high with his first book, Essentialism so when I got an opportunity to read an advance copy of Effortless, I jumped at the chance. Effortless is a solid follow up to for anyone who loved reading Essentialism as it builds off the foundation McKeown built of living a life focusing on what's essential. That said, this book also stands alone on its own merit--you don't have to have read his first book to be able to shift your thought patterns or take action on the many pieces of advice he shares in this new book. I highly recommend Effortless. more
5 starsA book I did not know I needed. For 3 years I have been making my way to being an essentialist and making my life effortless. So I have read a lot of material and given it a lot of thought. Still, what I read was enlightening. The book has it all - solid research, great anecdotes, and great suggestions to implement the concepts in our lives. more
This guy is absolute genius of productivity. Both this and Essentialism have one thing in common: easily digestible, joy to read and, well, perfect common sense approach. It's a bit strange that it takes something of a genius to convey something that should be common sense, but that's the age we live in. We kinda got lost in high tech and all sorts of complication. So me, I'm striving to get back to basics in everything. more
This was really enjoyable and a good reminder of tools and tricks I already know to deal with stress and make things simpler. Listening I couldn't shake the feeling I had heard all of it before, but couldn't say how or why. Still a very good book to get into simplifying life a bit. more
I really liked this book. Here’s my key takeaways:1. "Challenge the assumption that the 'right' way is, inevitably, the harder one. "2. Define what done looks like on an essential project. more
Enlightening, practical and comforting. Should be read periodically to remind oneself how to live the good life. Here's an excerpt from the end of the book:Whatever has happened to you in life. Whatever hardship. Whatever pain. more
Absolutely brilliant book and so timely. This is exactly what I needed to hear and I now have a note above my desk saying 'what if this could be easy. 'Clearly written and laid out with so much wisdom. In some ways it's nothing new, but it highlights how we labour under the misconception that, to achieve something, we have to struggle and sacrifice to get it when, in fact, the opposite is true. Now excuse me while I go and read it again. more
Essentialism is one of my favorite books, and this follow-up book does not disappoint. I love that it approaches life in an entirely different way than how I often think: “what if this were easy. ” McKeown offers engaging anecdotes throughout the book, along with solid principles and suggestions of how to implement them. He also offers summaries of what he’s written throughout the book, which help distill his key points. Some learnings:-Enjoy - enjoy essential activities by pairing them with enjoyable ones (eat your favorite treat while reviewing your budget). more
The perfect sequel to the book that changed my life last year—Essentialism. This book challenges the notion that anything important or valuable has to be hard work. Hard work is lovely, but it's wildly beneficial to us if we stop and ask: "What would it look like if this were easy. "I'm a slow reader. and I flew through this in two days because I enjoyed it so much. more
One of the best books I've read. There is always an easy way to success. We just need to find it. Strongly recommended. more
Don’t work harder, find the way of effortless. Offering a variety of examples from sources as different as science, business, and even in ordinary life in your family. Greg McKeown, author of Essentialism, explains the pattern or rhythm of life – you can do things the hard or easy way, or more accurately the effortless way. I suggest you start at the end. There you will find out the secret for why this great book was written. more
Greg McKeown's Effortless is more or less the next level of the ideas introduced in his book Essentialism. The premise of the book is pretty simple: things don't have to be so hard. In this book, Greg addresses how once we've gotten to the state of "essentials only" we sometimes still feel we have too much. There are ways to get the results we want and need without putting so much effort out. It is amazing looking around and seeing how often effort or time is associated with a good result. more
Nothing earth-shattering, but this was an enjoyable read, with a few good takeaways I can action:1) Before I start, define what done looks like. When I get there, stop. 2) Determine my goal, design the systems to get me there, then automate those systems and forget the goals. 3) Never more than 3 x 90 mins sessions per day for essential work. Leave something in the tank. more
In the beginning, I wasn't sure if this would get the same high rating as Essentialism, but by the end, he had won me over yet again, particularly because there were a few stand-out sections that were literally paradigm-shifting for me in my personal life and in my work life. I've already recommended this to other small business owners, and I recommend it to anyone who wants a valuable framework for how to make the most important things the easiest ones to actually get around to. more
I LOVED this book. It’s right up there with Atomic Habits. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a good book on personal growth. The author is also a Christian, which I really appreciated. . more
This was EXCELLENT. Full review here: https://everyday-reading. com/2021-sum. more
Effortless offers actionable advice for making the most essential activities the easiest ones, so you can achieve the results you want, without burning out. Essentialism was about doing the right things; Effortless is about doing them in the right way. EffortlessIt’s about a whole new way to work and live. A way to achieve more with ease—to achieve more because you are at ease. A way to lighten life’s inevitable burdens, and get the right results without burning out. more
This book is filled with excellent advice on focusing on the essentials and finding simpler ways of doing things. I suggest reading the summary at the end of the chapter and then start at the beginning of the chapter. Some of the concepts are better summarized at the end than described in the chapter with analogies that don't quite fit. A good tip is to replace "why is this so hard" with "how can this be easier". So instead of fixing something that was poorly designed, come up with something new that is easy and simple. more
An easy effortless read. When essentialism helped you find the right things to do, effortless will help you get these done. It combines ideas from a lot of different books I’ve picked up In the past. Compounding interest, going slow to go fast. Making breaks. more
Not as good as Essentialism, yet extremely helpful to validate my own thoughts about the "it's not worth it unless it's hard and I need to suffer my way through it. . more
Effortless didn't make as strong of an impression on me as Essentialism but I still enjoyed it greatly. A lot of the ideas in this book I've run across before in other self-help books, youtube videos, or podcasts but it was nice to be reminded. I think the concept I'll take away and use the most is the "never less than x, never more than y" idea. This is basically putting a time minimum and maximum for something you want to make progress on without becoming burned out. For example, for school I am doing the "never less than 2 hours a day, never more than 4 hours a day," so that I get work done but I never am spending an entire day working on school work. more
Love, love McKeown — Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less was one of my favorite books of 2018. This book is almost as good, and he presents an interesting thought in the age of glorified busyness: life doesn't have to be so hard. Simplicity is key. Reframe the outlook/question from "Why is this so hard. " to "How can this be easier. more
I like the way McKeown writes and presents ideas. Even if it’s something I’ve heard before, the way he shares it resonates with me. Effortless wasn’t as game changing (for me) as Essentialism, but I still took a lot from this one. It has me looking at everything throughout the day and wondering if there’s a way to make it easier. . more
I chose to read this self help book by Greg Mckeown because a number of reviews lured me in. I went into it with the expectation of learning more than I knew, although that doesn't mean I am good at getting all the essentials done in my life. In the end, this turned out to be largely commonsense, although commonsense presented well and in a simplified manner. It begins with an introduction named Not Everything Has to be so Hard, and the rest of the material is divided into three sections, the effortless state, effortless action and effortless results. McKeown illustrates his methods with real life examples from our contemporary world, such as from those that have done well, the military and successful sports people. more