No…. Boss, I won’t take on the wider role unless we review my salary package and / or career path
No…. Boss, I can’t stay late for the client drinks as I want to see my little boy before he goes to sleep
No…. Mr Stakeholder, I can’t take on that new project unless we drop something else
No….Mrs Client, we can’t do that for you. That’s not how we work
No….My Friend, I can’t let you “pick my brain” for free. I coach/consult for a living. It’s my profession
No….Mr Recruiter I won’t tell you where I’m interviewing and give you fresh leads
No….Friends, I can’t come to the fancy restaurant as I’m not working and need to watch my finances
No….Aunty, I can’t come to your barbecue. I’ve had a long week and need to rest this weekend
Saying “NO” is one of the hardest things to do. We want to be liked. We want to help. And don’t want to offend people.
But saying “yes” when, in fact, you mean “no” is no fun either. It stops you achieving what you need to achieve. It stops you becoming what you want to become.
Here’s how to start saying “No” this week:
1. Start being a little selfish
There’s nothing wrong with looking after your own career, health, wealth and family before everyone else’s requests. In fact, people will respect you far more than just saying “yes” to everything.
2. Start small
Some of the above statements may feel too risky. So start saying “No” to some of the smaller requests that are made of you. And then build up.
3. Start today
In fact, do it now. Send one email, text or make a call to say “NO” to a request that’s been made of your time. And then do it again tomorrow and the next day.
Doing work that matters and building a lifestyle you want requires time, attention and energy. Something you don’t get by simply jumping to the tune of everyone else’s music. Start saying “no” this week and start creating your own music…
No comments:
Post a Comment