Have you ever been around someone that says Yes to nearly everything, and then struggles or fails to carry out their commitment?
What about you? Do you often feel pressured into saying “Yes” to someone or something because you think it is the right thing to do and then regret it later?
Or maybe you end a week by feeling drained having worked your butt off, yet you still haven’t made progress on the things that MOST important to you?
I remember back nearly 14-years ago when many things in my life started to change for the better – my health, my professional career, relationships, and overall satisfaction in life.
There were multiple factors involved, but one of the most important was getting to the point where I could say No to activities, plans, and people that did not directly fit in with my focus.
I distinctly remember gaining confidence, being empowered by taking control and choosing exactly what I did, with who and when. Of course, this didn’t happen completely overnight and today I still struggle with competing interests of friends, customers, family and those around me…but I guard my time, energy and creativity extremely carefully today – and that has been a huge breakthrough in my life.
A good friend of mine reminded me of the power of no yesterday when it was clear he had placed himself into a corner in both his career and relationship to the point where things were going to blow…and worse, he had nobody to blame but himself.
In my mind, being able to say NO confidently means that you have a good handle on at least 3 important things in your life:
1. You know what you DO want, which makes it easy to know what to say “no” to those things that don’t align. We are far more likely to say Yes to anything when we are lost, stuck in a rut or rather desperate for finding direction in our lives. By saying NO, we are showing the world that we know what we want and aren’t afraid to go after it.
2. You have the self-confidence that pursuing your path and not the path that impresses someone around you is best. Let’s face it, saying no to bosses, influential people in your marketplace, those closest to us in a relationship, family or our kids is tough stuff…it takes an inner confidence that most of us have to work hard to get and maintain (Check out Attracting Greatness, an amazing blueprint for becoming more confident and productive)
3. You may actually get something done on the things that matter most to you — instead of being distracted by everything around you. The closest thing to the Holy Grail of personal improvement is finding the ability to stay on target and get things done at a much faster pace than in the past…this builds momentum which boosts self confidence and energy in your life.
Are you at the point where you can say No confidently, keep distractions to a minimum and stay on target living an On Purpose life?
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