Most people are over-committed. One of the primary reasons for this is that so many of us struggle to say, “No.” In fact, most of us need to say, “No” more often.
Often we say, “Yes” to things that we don’t want to do or are not beneficial. We seem to be afraid to say, “No.” When we consider whether to say, “Yes” or “No,” one helpful question to ask is, “What are the true costs of saying, ‘No’?” I have found that often there are no real costs. In reality, you can say “No” much more than you currently do and experience no consequences for doing so. How can I make better decisions on when to say “No?” Consider the following questions:
1. Will saying, “No” damage a valuable relationship?
2. Will saying, “No” cost me financially?
3. Will saying, “No” jeopardize my employment?
4. What other opportunities will saying, “No” allow me to pursue?
Perhaps the real reason that we fail to say “No” is that we are too concerned about letting others down. I once read a quote that said “I make it my goal to please one person every day. Today is not your day. And tomorrow is not looking too good either.”
Instead of being a people pleaser, consider real costs. In doing this, you will think more clearly and will have the ability to say “No” more often. The beauty of saying “No” is that you will free up time to do things that are the most important to you.
What have you learned about saying “No?” Comment and continue the conversation!
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