奇创岛

From «Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less»

Build Your Essential Priority Decision Matrix

You'll apply the 90% Rule from *Essentialism* to every commitment, task, and interest in your life — scoring each one, marking 9+ as essential and 8 or below as non-essential — and turn it all into a reusable 'Essential vs. Non-Essential' decision matrix you can consult anytime.

Final work

An *Essential Priority Decision Matrix*

Estimated time

45–90 min

Submitted

…

Your final work

Purpose:Transform the 90% Rule from *Essentialism* from a concept into a ready-to-use decision tool — so that the next time you face a new request, project, or commitment, you rely on the matrix rather than gut feeling, and get a clear answer in 30 seconds.

Parts:

  • A real 'items-to-judge list': all your current commitments / tasks / interests / subscriptions (at least 8 items)
  • Scoring dimensions: Exploration value (Is this essential?) / Cost of saying No (What is the cost of No?) / First-principles question (What is the ONE most important thing?)
  • A score (0–10) for each item and a clear 90-point-line classification: above or below
  • Essential list (≥9): things worth keeping and investing energy in
  • Non-essential list (≤8): things you plan to exit, reduce, or defer
  • A reusable 'new-request scoring card' you can apply in 30 seconds whenever a new task comes up

Use cases:

  • · Work: review your project list every quarter and cut anything scoring below 90
  • · Personal: audit subscriptions, hobby classes, and community memberships monthly
  • · Decisions: use the scoring card to evaluate new opportunities quickly instead of deliberating for days
  • · Family: use the matrix together with your partner or kids to discuss what 'the one thing we do this year' should be

Pick a topic

Pick the topic closest to you, or write a custom one when you submit.

Personal Life

Family & Parenting

Work & Projects

Relationships & Communication

Tools you'll use from the book

90% Scoring Card

Give each option a score from 0 to 10. Anything below 9 is non-essential — the answer is No.

How to use it here:

Build a scoring table and rate each item on your list: 'If this scores below 90 (i.e., below 9), the answer is No.' The key is not to inflate scores just because something might be useful someday — vague future value doesn't count. After scoring, rank all items and draw the line: 9 and above form your essential list; 8 and below form your non-essential list.

Boundaries:

The 90% Rule helps you spot the non-essential — it isn't a tool for rationalizing existing preferences. Scores must be based on 'if it's not a clear Yes, it's a No,' not on 'this seems kind of important too.'

Explore–Eliminate Three Questions

Three core questions from the book for identifying the essential: Is it necessary? Is the timing right? Am I the right person to do it?

How to use it here:

Run each item on your list through a three-question 'qualification check': ① Is this truly necessary, or am I being swept along by someone else's urgency? ② Even if necessary, is now the right time? ③ Even if necessary and timely, does it have to be me? If any answer is No, the item can be eliminated or deferred. Log the three-question results in the notes column of your matrix.

Boundaries:

The three questions help you see whether something is simultaneously 'necessary + timely + mine to do' — they're not an excuse to exit things. When all three answers are Yes, the item is essential.

True Priority Ranking

Essentialism argues: if everything is important, nothing is. Rank all items in a single sequence rather than calling them 'all equally important.'

How to use it here:

After scoring, take all your 9+ essential items and rank them in a single sequence (rank 1 is most important — only one item can be rank 1). This step forces your true priorities to surface. When you're compelled to answer 'if I could only do one thing, which would it be?' — that's when the core of the matrix is complete.

Boundaries:

The purpose of a single ranking is not to deny the value of other items, but to give resource allocation a clear basis. Don't tie multiple items at rank 1 for the sake of 'balance.'

Cost-of-Yes Pricing

Essentialism reminds us: saying Yes to one thing means saying No to another. Every Yes carries a hidden cost.

How to use it here:

For each essential item on your list, note in the matrix: 'By saying Yes to this, what am I saying No to?' For example: agreeing to take on one more project = saying No to deep-work time. This visualization step lets you confirm — beyond the score — the real trade-off involved, preventing decisions clouded by a feeling that 'everything is important.'

Boundaries:

Cost-of-Yes Pricing is designed to make trade-offs visible, not to make you feel guilty. The cost existing doesn't mean you shouldn't do something — it means you're making a clear-eyed choice.

First-Principles Question

The ultimate Essentialism question: 'If I could only do one thing in this area, what is the single action most capable of moving the needle?'

How to use it here:

Once the matrix is complete, ask the first-principles question once for each domain (work / family / personal growth) and fill the answers into the 'domain core' column of your matrix. This step elevates you from 'ranking multiple things' to 'identifying the essential core of each domain,' transforming the matrix from a mere list tool into a true decision framework.

Boundaries:

The first-principles question must be grounded in your real long-term goals, not whatever feels most urgent right now. Urgent ≠ important — that distinction is at the heart of Essentialism.

Work rules

Your work MUST include

  • A real 'items-to-judge list': commitments / tasks / interests / subscriptions that actually exist in your life right now, at least 8 items, not made up on the spot
  • A 90% score (0–10) for every item plus a written rationale (not just the number — explain why it earned that score)
  • A clear split into an essential list (≥9) and a non-essential list (≤8)
  • For at least 2 non-essential items, a note on how you plan to handle them (exit / reduce / defer / delegate)
  • A reusable 'new-request scoring card': a blank template you can apply the next time a new task appears
  • A complete Explore–Eliminate Three-Questions record for the single hardest item to let go of

Your work CANNOT just be

  • Don't just copy tool descriptions from the book without plugging in your own real list
  • Don't let the matrix become a vague summary like 'I plan to prioritize better in the future'
  • Don't score everything at 9 or above — the 90% Rule only works when most things fall below 90
  • Don't let AI generate the list for you — it must come from your real life and actual commitments
  • Don't produce only a scoring table without indicating what you'll actually do with the non-essential items

AI can help you here

Round 1: Help me choose which list to work through

When to use: You're not sure which area to start with, or you have too many domains to sort and don't know which to tackle first.

I'm completing the '{{route name}}' project using *{{book title}}*. Based on my situation below, please help me pick the 1 most important topic to tackle first from the options listed, and explain why.

My situation:
[Describe your background: profession, which area feels most overloaded right now, and which type of commitment causes you the most stress]

Available topics:
[Paste the topic list from the page]

Please output:
1. The top recommended topic (just 1)
2. Why this area is the best one for me to sort through right now
3. What specific decision tool I'll have once the matrix is done
4. What information I should gather before scoring (e.g., which commitments I chose myself vs. ones that were pushed onto me)

Yellow placeholders need you to fill in before using the AI.

AI can help you organize ideas, but cannot make final judgments for you. Don't let AI fabricate experiences, cases, or misleading content.

Round 2: Help me score my list

When to use: You've already written out your items-to-judge list but aren't sure how to score each one, or you're stuck on a few specific items.

I'm working on the '{{route name}}' project from *{{book title}}*.

My chosen topic is:
{{topic}}

Here is my items-to-judge list:
[Paste your list, one item per line]

Please help me score each item using the 90% Rule and the Explore–Eliminate Three Questions.

Requirements:
1. Suggest a score (0–10) for each item
2. Provide a one-sentence rationale
3. For items scoring between 7 and 9 ('gray zone'), apply the three questions for deeper analysis
4. Flag the items where I'm most likely lying to myself (e.g., scored 9 due to emotional attachment rather than real value)
5. Close with your suggested 'top 3 essential things'

Please output:
- A suggested score and rationale for each item
- Three-question analysis for gray-zone items
- The 'self-deception items' most worth watching out for
- Your suggested top 3 essential things

Yellow placeholders need you to fill in before using the AI.

AI can help you organize ideas, but cannot make final judgments for you. Don't let AI fabricate experiences, cases, or misleading content.

Round 3: Help me review my matrix work

When to use: You've finished a first draft and are ready to submit.

I'm submitting my work for a Shufang Island project.

Book: *{{book title}}*
Project route: {{route name}}
My topic: {{topic}}

My draft:
{{work draft}}

Please review my work against the following criteria:
1. Does the items-to-judge list come from real life (not vaguely made up)?
2. Does every item have a written scoring rationale, not just a number?
3. Are all items scored 9 or above? — if so, the 90% Rule hasn't truly been applied
4. Does the non-essential list include at least 2 items with a concrete action plan?
5. Is the Explore–Eliminate Three-Questions record tied to a specific item rather than giving generic answers?
6. Is the answer to the first-principles question clear and reasoned, not just 'everything matters'?
7. Can the reusable scoring card actually be used on its own?
8. Is the overall work a decision matrix, not a book report?
9. Is it ready to submit?

Please output:
- An overall evaluation
- What's already done well
- What must be revised
- What could be strengthened
- A suggested structure for the revised work

Yellow placeholders need you to fill in before using the AI.

AI can help you organize ideas, but cannot make final judgments for you. Don't let AI fabricate experiences, cases, or misleading content.

Submit my work