Have you ever found yourself saying yes to something that you absolutely did not want to do?
Have you ever walked into a situation knowing exactly what you wanted to do only to be convinced to do just the opposite?
Have you found yourself at times, overworked, overstressed or overloaded with no seeming end in sight?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, well you are not alone. But realize that saying yes is actually a big part of the problem.
Think about the past few weeks or months and ask yourself an honest question.
What have I committed to or said yes to that I really had no business saying yes to and the answer should have simply been NO.
Now ask yourself how much stress and anxiety you have caused yourself by not saying no. How much sleep have you lost, how much time away from you family has been wasted. Learning to power of the word no can be a complete game changer for you once you understand how it’s impacting your business and your life.
Think about all the reasons why you said yes instead of no in these situations. Many times it’s because saying no would have caused you to come up with all the reasons why you are rejecting the thought, idea or request. In your mind you have equated pain, conflict, or aggravation with the idea of having to defend your “no” to the other party involved. This is exactly the reason why understanding that NO is a completely finished statement and really doesn’t require an explanation.
If you have trouble saying NO ask yourself what the consequences of saying yes might be.
For example:
Saying yes to a meeting request that really doesn’t involve you or what you are working on means saying NO to completing an important project or task.
Sometimes when you say “yes” to things that you shouldn’t have, you are actually saying to “NO” to so many of the important things in your life.
Maybe you said yes to attending a conference or helping with a work project outside your scope, which meant saying no to your child’s sport or school event.
Saying yes to gathering with co-workers meant saying no to the date night you and your significant other have planned.
Understanding the power of NO and how to use it effectively is a big step towards creating a work life contract with yourself that allows you to achieve everything you want both professionally and personally.
This week ask yourself:
How has my need to say yes all the time had an impact on me over the past few months?
Why do I feel the need to say yes to things I really want to say no to?
When I say yes, what important things or people am I really saying no to, and what are the consequences?
What will I say when confronted with these same situations in the future?
Until next time
Cheers to you and your continued Success and saying NO
One Quarter Turn at a Time
Thoughts for the week:
Half of troubles of this life can be traced to saying “yes” too quickly and not saying “no” soon enough. -Josh Billings
Saying no can be the ultimate self-care. – Claudia Black
It’s only by saying no that you can concentrate on the things that are really important. -Steve Jobs
When you are saying yes to others make sure you are not saying no to yourself. – Paulo Coelho
Looking forward to our next connection
Coach Tim
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