You'll understand the importance of essentialism with the realization of one fact. Task overload is counterproductive in any case. When people try to do all tasks at once, they often get lost in the subtleties and lose sight of their real priorities.

Let’s look at Greg McKeown's. The author felt pressured at work the day after his daughter was born. His coworker even texted him that Friday between 1 and 2 p.m. would be a bad time to have a baby because of a meeting. The author ended up going to the work meeting, leaving his wife and newborn daughter at the hospital. This choice shows how easy it is to lose sight of real priorities while trying to please everyone.

An interesting fact about the concept of “priority” demonstrates how our understanding of importance has changed over time. Originally, the word "priority" in English was only used in the singular form. However, as people started trying to do everything at once, the plural form of the word emerged. This reflects how people try to do many things simultaneously, which often leads to loss of focus and fatigue.

So, to avoid such situations, one should learn four main principles of essentialism. First, explore and evaluate. Instead of trying to do everything at once, it's critical to focus on what really matters. The next is elimination. It's not about choosing what to do but about choosing what not to do. Not all tasks are equal. The third is execution. Focus on the crucial tasks, and you'll do them better. And the last one is presence. It's about the importance of being “here and now” instead of being distracted. In a nutshell, essentialism is not about selecting what to sacrifice; it's about determining what you want to prioritize and excel in.