Saying Yes often seems like the right thing to do in business.
After all, it makes us seem nice, open, accommodating, optimistic and agreeable.
But saying Yes can also be a trap.
It can dilute our focus.
Stretch our resources too thin.
Put us at the mercy of other people’s agendas.
The fact is, one of the defining characteristics of top performers in business is the ability to say No.
In our world of dynamic complexity, there are literally hundreds of opportunities each month to say Yes to new projects, meet with new people, investigate new sectors and begin new strategies.
You are probably tempted right now to say Yes to all kinds of things that aren’t part of your core business.
But it’s really important you resist.
For two primary reasons:
Firstly, I believe, and many different research studies show, that the people who become successful persistently do one thing well over a long period of time.
They don’t chop and change.
They don’t stop when work gets boring.
They don’t look for the next shiny new sector, fad or industry.
They grind it out, getting a little more skilled at their area of focus every day.
It’s not a glamorous way to live, but it gets results.
And secondly, every time you say No to a distraction from your main mission, you remind yourself about what’s really important- what your key focus is.
You get stronger, both mentally and strategically.
This week, why not make it a rule to say No to the unimportant, the distracting, the trivia masquerading as the urgent.
Saying No to distractions is ultimately saying Yes to greatness.
