Here's a cool story from my friend Elizabeth Crook about the power of saying yes and where that's taken her:
Have you ever found yourself wishing you had a different seat at a party? Had a different colleague for a project? A different set of companions for a trip?
That’s the way I felt when Kim handed me her business card which read AARP. If I’d said NO, I wouldn’t be here heading to the studio to be the re-imagine expert on Jane’s show, which is part of a new AARP initiative aimed at the youngest Baby Boomers (50 – 59). Jane was the long-time host of the TODAY show, if you’re too young to remember.
A lot of times, we'll want to say no (I have an entire chapter about this in Simplify Your Life). But, we're at our best when we say yes and say it for the right reasons.
Offering "No!" as a knee-jerk reaction is bad for business and bad for us. But, answering the invitation with the right kind of "Yes" can open doors untold.
Of course, saying yes may take other forms. It may look like:
- Replying to email
- Answering your phone when it rings
- Agreeing to meet a new person for coffee
- Trying that new restaurant
- Attending a different conference
- Offering to lead a workshop, even if it's for free
What can you say yes to today? And where could it take you?