Essentialism is not about how to get more things done, it's about how to the get the right things done. It doesn't mean just doing less for the sake of less either. It is about making the wisest possible investment of your time and energy in order to operate at our highest point of contribution by doing only what is essential.

We overvalue nonessentials like a nicer car or house, or even intangibles like the number of our followers on Twitter or the way we look in our Facebook photos. As a result, we neglect activities that are truly essential, like spending time with our loved ones, or nurturing our spirit, or taking care of our health.

Play stimulates the parts of the brain involved in both careful, logical reasoning and carefree, unbound exploration.

The ability to choose cannot be taken away or even given away-it can only be forgotten.

There should be no shame in admitting to a mistake; after all, we really are only admitting that we are now wiser than we once were.

We often think of choice as a thing. But a choice is not a thing. Our options may be things, but a choice—a choice is an action. It is not just something we have but something we do.

I think we are in a non-essentialist bubble—everything seems important—so of course nothing is.