“The first type of nonessential you’re going to learn how to eliminate is simply any activity that is misaligned with what you are intending to achieve. It sounds straightforward enough, but to be able to do that you need to be really clear about what your purpose is in the first place. Executives I work with often suggest their company purpose or strategy is “pretty clear,” as if to say that is sufficient. But anyone who wears glasses knows there is a big difference between pretty clear and really clear! The same seems true with individuals’ professional strategy. When I ask people, “What do you really want out of your career over the next five years?” I am still taken aback by how few people can answer the question.”
Excerpt From: Mckeown, Greg. “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less.”