--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think we are in a non-essentialist…" description: "\"I think we are in a non-essentialist bubble—everything seems important—so of course nothing is.\" — Greg McKeown" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38b/greg-mckeown-8740_bubble_i-think-we-are-in-a-non-essentialist-bub_1530562.png" --- # I think we are in a non-essentialist bubble—everything… ![“I think we are in a non-essentialist bubble—everything seems important—so of course nothing is.” quote by Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38b/greg-mckeown-8740_bubble_i-think-we-are-in-a-non-essentialist-bub_1530562.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38b/greg-mckeown-8740_bubble_i-think-we-are-in-a-non-essentialist-bub_1530562.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38b/greg-mckeown-8740_bubble_i-think-we-are-in-a-non-essentialist-bub_1530562.png) > “I think we are in a non-essentialist bubble—everything seems important—so of course nothing is.” [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In a culture that over‑prioritizes everything, importance is diluted, making true priorities invisible. **In simple terms:** Too many priorities erase importance. Key Takeaway Focus on what truly matters. Themes prioritization focus overload Mood concerned motivational Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - project management - personal goal setting - media consumption - decision making Key Concepts productivity philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What is truly essential for you? - How can you limit non‑essential commitments? A Different Perspective Hard to discern essential tasks without clear criteria. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bubble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bubble/) [Bubble Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bubble-important-5677298/) [Bubbles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bubbles/) [Courses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courses/) [Essentialist Bubble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essentialist-bubble-5677297/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) [Think Non](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-non-588724/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [What other people think about you, is non of your business!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-other-people-think-about-you-is-non-of-your-business/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think of myself as more the non-turn-on type. so when I do get turned on, I don’t trust it, I have to investigate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-think-of-myself-as-more-the-non-turn-on-type-so-when-i-do-get/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [If all people learned to think in the non Aristotelian manner of quantum mechanics, the world would change so radically that most of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-korzybski/if-all-people-learned-to-think-in-the-non-aristotelian-manner-of/) [Alfred Korzybski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-korzybski/) > [“Now I’m not trying to make excuses, but I don’t get turned on by that many women. If anything, I think of myself as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/now-i-m-not-trying-to-make-excuses-but-i-don-t-get-turned-on-by-that/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [it is an easy mistake to think that non-talkers are non-feelers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/it-is-an-easy-mistake-to-think-that-non-talkers-are-non-feelers/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [Joys Are bubble-like--what makes them bursts them too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-james-bailey/joys-are-bubble-like-what-makes-them-bursts-them-too/) [Philip James Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-james-bailey/) > [I hope the two of you will descend from your love bubble long enough to learn something today," he sniped cuttingly and the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-adornetto/i-hope-the-two-of-you-will-descend-from-your-love-bubble-long-enough/) [Alexandra Adornetto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-adornetto/) > [The bubble, as investing phenomenon, has been well studied ever since the 17th-century tulip bulb frenzy. Its counterpart in bear markets is not well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-bubble-as-investing-phenomenon-has-been-well-studied-ever-since/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You never know you're in a bubble until it pops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-revkin/you-never-know-you-re-in-a-bubble-until-it-pops/) [Andrew Revkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-revkin/) > [I live in my own bubble. I'm in Gublerland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-gray-gubler/i-live-in-my-own-bubble-i-m-in-gublerland/) [Matthew Gray Gubler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-gray-gubler/) > [For the last year, I had to get out of my bubble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-sunshine/for-the-last-year-i-had-to-get-out-of-my-bubble/) [Tony Sunshine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-sunshine/) > [But there's the beauty of life beyond the bubble. It's possible for someone to see your wicked bits and still love you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-chenoweth/but-there-s-the-beauty-of-life-beyond-the-bubble-it-s-possible-for/) [Kristin Chenoweth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-chenoweth/) > [ What, if as said, man is a bubble. \[Lat., Quod, ut dictur, si est homo bulla, eo magis senex.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-terentius-varro/what-if-as-said-man-is-a-bubble-lat-quod-ut-dictur-si-est-homo-bulla/) [Marcus Terentius Varro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-terentius-varro/) > [Every bubble has two components: something - some real trend, and a misconception about that trend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/every-bubble-has-two-components-something-some-real-trend-and-a/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [I don't even know what that means. People who get credit have to get it from somewhere. Does a credit bubble mean that people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-fama/i-don-t-even-know-what-that-means-people-who-get-credit-have-to-get/) [Eugene Fama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-fama/) ## More by Greg McKeown > [If I didn’t already own this, how much would I spend to buy it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/if-i-didn-t-already-own-this-how-much-would-i-spend-to-buy-it/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [The word priority was singular for 500 years—what does priorities mean—'many many first things.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/the-word-priority-was-singular-for-500-years-what-does-priorities/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [“Sleep will enhance your ability to explore, make connections, and do less but better throughout your waking hours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/sleep-will-enhance-your-ability-to-explore-make-connections-and-do/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [“Of course, nobody likes to be bored. But by abolishing any chance of being bored we have also lost the times we used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/of-course-nobody-likes-to-be-bored-but-by-abolishing-any-chance-of/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [“The word priority came into the English language in the 1400s. It was singular. It meant the very first or prior thing. It stayed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/the-word-priority-came-into-the-english-language-in-the-1400s-it-was/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [“while we may not always have control over our options, we always have control over how we choose among them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/while-we-may-not-always-have-control-over-our-options-we-always-have/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [“The word priority came into the English language in the 1400s. It was singular. It meant the very first or prior thing. It stayed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/the-word-priority-came-into-the-english-language-in-the-1400s-it-was-2/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [“Essentialism is not about how to get more things done; it’s about how to get the right things done. It doesn’t mean just doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/essentialism-is-not-about-how-to-get-more-things-done-it-s-about-how/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [“the faintest pencil is better than the strongest memory”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/the-faintest-pencil-is-better-than-the-strongest-memory/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [“I have since gathered data from more than five hundred individuals about their experience on more than one thousand teams. I asked them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/i-have-since-gathered-data-from-more-than-five-hundred-individuals/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [Take a deep breath. Get present in the moment and ask yourself what is important this very second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/take-a-deep-breath-get-present-in-the-moment-and-ask-yourself-what-is/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [“Less but better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/less-but-better/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [“For the first time, they will have to manage themselves. And society is totally unprepared for it.”4”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/for-the-first-time-they-will-have-to-manage-themselves-and-society-is/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [“I must apologize: if I had more time I would have written a shorter letter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/i-must-apologize-if-i-had-more-time-i-would-have-written-a-shorter/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [“up in four predictable phases:”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/up-in-four-predictable-phases/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) [Explore all 76 Greg McKeown quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) ## More Bubble quotes > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [“Recluses won’t find purpose living out their days in a sacred bubble. Partake in commerce, start working out, volunteer, go on a mission. Do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-j-demarco/recluses-won-t-find-purpose-living-out-their-days-in-a-sacred-bubble/) [M.J. DeMarco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-j-demarco/) > [“But you couldn't unpop a bubble.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kami-garcia/but-you-couldn-t-unpop-a-bubble/) [Kami Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kami-garcia/) > [I don't even know what that means. People who get credit have to get it from somewhere. Does a credit bubble mean that people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-fama/i-don-t-even-know-what-that-means-people-who-get-credit-have-to-get/) [Eugene Fama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-fama/) > [You know, as an only child, you're kind of in a bubble, and there are all sorts of things about my childhood that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-know-as-an-only-child-you-re-kind-of-in-a-bubble-and-there-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“As a bubble you cannot change the world, this is obvious, but you can still make a child happy! Even the most worthless things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/as-a-bubble-you-cannot-change-the-world-this-is-obvious-but-you-can/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [The media bubble is the ultimate symbol of what's wrong with this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-bannon/the-media-bubble-is-the-ultimate-symbol-of-what-s-wrong-with-this/) [Steve Bannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-bannon/) > [When I found out about being cast in 'Spider-Man,' it was like this bubble developed around me. I was floating in it for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-garfield/when-i-found-out-about-being-cast-in-spider-man-it-was-like-this/) [Andrew Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-garfield/) > [Trump has manufactured the first-ever Celebrity Immunity Bubble - rendering him incapable of offense, no matter whom he offends. It's brilliant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gutfeld/trump-has-manufactured-the-first-ever-celebrity-immunity-bubble/) [Greg Gutfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gutfeld/) > [ “The Bradford Exchange—a knockoff of \[Joseph\] Segel’s \[Franklin Mint\] business—created a murky secondary market for its collector plates, complete with advertisements featuring its “brokers”… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zac-bissonnette/the-bradford-exchange-a-knockoff-of-joseph-segel-s-franklin-mint/) [Zac Bissonnette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zac-bissonnette/) > [It was 1999, and we were building a way for college kids to create online profiles for the purpose of sharing... with employers. Oops.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/it-was-1999-and-we-were-building-a-way-for-college-kids-to-create/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [The end of the 'tech bubble' in the year 2000 is, of course, widely recognized, as the NASDAQ stock index erased three-quarters of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-autor/the-end-of-the-tech-bubble-in-the-year-2000-is-of-course-widely/) [David Autor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-autor/) > [It's like simulating earthquakes: we can over and over study a bubble, crash, bubble, crash. Then we can see mathematically if there's some regular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-camerer/it-s-like-simulating-earthquakes-we-can-over-and-over-study-a-bubble/) [Colin Camerer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-camerer/) > [Only lets certain people in his bubble...you know who u r...so come on in...if your not one of them...stay the HELL OUT!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/only-lets-certain-people-in-his-bubble-you-know-who-u-r-so-come-on-in/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Every bubble has two components: something - some real trend, and a misconception about that trend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/every-bubble-has-two-components-something-some-real-trend-and-a/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) [Browse all 325 Bubble quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bubble/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think we are in a non-essentialist bubble—everything seems important—so of course nothing is.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Greg McKeown" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/i-think-we-are-in-a-non-essentialist-bubble-everything-seems/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bubble" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/i-think-we-are-in-a-non-essentialist-bubble-everything-seems/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38b/greg-mckeown-8740_bubble_i-think-we-are-in-a-non-essentialist-bub_1530562.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38b/greg-mckeown-8740_bubble_i-think-we-are-in-a-non-essentialist-bub_1530562.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38b/greg-mckeown-8740_bubble_i-think-we-are-in-a-non-essentialist-bub_1530562.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think we are in a non-essentialist bubble—everything seems important—so of course nothing is.” — Greg McKeown", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Greg McKeown", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think we are in a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/i-think-we-are-in-a-non-essentialist-bubble-everything-seems/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/i-think-we-are-in-a-non-essentialist-bubble-everything-seems/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```