Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

“If I didn’t already own this, how much would I spend to buy it?”

the disciplined pursuit of less

First, play broadens the range of options available to us. It helps us to see possibilities we otherwise wouldn’t have seen and make connections we would otherwise not have made. It opens our minds and broadens our perspective. It helps us challenge old assumptions and makes us more receptive to untested ideas. It gives us permission to expand our

Second, play is an antidote to stress, and this is key because stress, in addition to being an enemy of productivity, can actually shut down the creative, inquisitive, exploratory parts of our brain. You know how it feels: you’re stressed about work and suddenly everything starts going wrong.

The CEO of Twitter, Dick Costolo, promotes play through comedy; he instigated an improv class at the company. As a former stand-up comedian, he knows that improv forces people to stretch their minds and think more flexibly, unconventionally, and creatively.

We need to pace ourselves, nurture ourselves, and give ourselves fuel to explore, thrive, and perform.

As poet Mary Oliver wrote: “Tell me, what is it you plan to do / with your one wild and precious life?”

“Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come.”

options may be things, but a choice – a choice is an action.

They had learned helplessness.