Effortless: Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most

by Greg McKeown

The Effortless Way There is an ebb and flow to life. Rhythms are in everything we do. There are times to push hard and times to rest and recuperate.

Essentialism was about doing the right things; Effortless is about doing them in the right way.

Motivation is not enough because it is a limited resource. To truly make progress on the things that matter, we need a whole new way to work and live.

Gratitude is a powerful, catalytic thing. It starves negative emotions of the oxygen they need to survive. It also generates a positive, self-sustaining system wherever and whenever it is applied.

make gratitude a habit, by using the following recipe: After I complain I will say something I am thankful for.

I once worked with a highly profitable firm. They were operating at $1 million of revenue per employee. While we were discussing how to remain entrepreneurial and lean as they scaled their enterprise, I suggested a rule of thumb I thought might sound a little harsh. It was this: “Hire slow, fire fast.” It is a good rule of thumb for growing a business

When we let go of our need to punish those who’ve hurt us, it’s not the culprit who is freed. We are freed. When we surrender grudges and complaints in favor of grace and compassion, it’s not an equal exchange. It’s a coup. And with every trade, we return closer to the calm of our Effortless State.

try this simple rule: Do not do more today than you can completely recover from today. Do not do more this week than you can completely recover from this week.

Dedicate mornings to essential work. Break down that work into three sessions of no more than ninety minutes each. Take a short break (ten to fifteen minutes) in between sessions to rest and recover.

“We spend a third of our lives asleep. Perhaps it is time for you to evaluate if you could be doing it better.”

Holding back when you still have steam in you might seem like a counterintuitive approach to getting important things done, but in fact, this kind of restraint is key to breakthrough productivity.

Often, there will be pressure to fill a role immediately, as the vacancy creates a short-term headache. But while hiring quickly may lighten the load at first, hiring well will lighten the load consistently and repeatedly, saving you many more headaches in the long run.