Greg McKeown said elite performers intentionally underperform in areas that don’t matter, choosing instead to direct their energy toward high-impact tasks.

“Strategic laziness is a form of discipline,” McKeown wrote in a post on LinkedIn. “It’s how you reclaim your energy from the trivial and reallocate it to what actually moves you forward.”

“Elite performers don’t pour energy into every task,” McKeown added. “They underperform—on purpose—in areas that don’t move the needle.”

McKeown’s message challenges the typical high achiever’s mindset of pushing harder and doing it all. He argues that breakthroughs often come not from more effort, but from doing less—strategically.

This approach isn’t just about productivity—it’s a resilience strategy. By conserving energy and focusing only on what truly matters, individuals avoid burnout and maintain long-term capacity for meaningful work.

Greg McKeown is a leadership strategist, public speaker, and author of Essentialism and Effortless. He teaches individuals and organizations how to simplify their lives and focus on what matters most.