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Yes and No are not only the world’s simplest words but also the shortest sentences. However, they are also the words that are most misused by everyone. These two words might seem to be too small and that is why most people are quick to say them without giving much thought to the implications involved. However, these two words come with many consequences – and in some cases the consequences can be major. But, what is it with these two words that carries so much weight? Why should we think twice before giving a “yes” or a “no” as an answer? Let’s try to discuss and find out more on the same.
“No” is a word that is highly associated with negativity. Saying “no” is disagreeing with something, or limiting opportunities and puts things to a stop. Saying No can be both a good thing and a bad one at the same time. This is because saying no too quickly can shut down your window to many opportunities ahead. Just think of it this way; your boss offers you a chance to work under one of your juniors at work for a small period. However, even without seeing clarification on the matter or trying to understand what his/her intentions are, you quickly say that you would never want to work under someone below your current title.(loosely translated as “the answer is no”).
Later on, you come to realize that it was all part of a practical “interview” for a new senior position and you missed out because you let your ego get the best part of you. That promotion you have been working hard for years to earn just passed you by, and it’s all because you said “No” too soon. A research was conducted on old people and patients with terminal illnesses. They were asked to say what they regret most about how they lived their lives. All of them said that they regret, not the chances that they took and failed, but all the chances they never took.
Saying “no” automatically shuts the door(s) and in some cases, there is no coming back from there. Saying “no” only opens doors to many “what-ifs”. You are always left wondering what could have been different if you had said yes and went on a date with that guy who is now engaged to someone else. What if you took the risk and said “yes” to that job opportunity? What if……… what if you said yes? Saying yes comes with its perks too but here is a list of reasons why you should actually consider saying yes before quickly dismissing every opportunity that comes your way:
Many motivational speakers and successful people can agree that you should do what you fear. In other words, this means that you should be ready to face your insecurities. Find some time alone and sit down by yourself. Take this time to reflect on yourself and your life. Most importantly ask yourself this question, “What do you fear?” What are your biggest fears and why? Feel free to write down all your fears and why you fear them. Once this is done, take your list and start doing everything on that list! Facing your fears is the first and boldest step between the person that you are now and the person you want to become.
Most people limit themselves from their full true potential due to fear of failure. However, what they don’t know is that if you never try, you’ll never know. The future is uncertain, it is like taking the first step on a flight of stairs yet you don’t know where it leads to. Like diving into deep waters. It is the feeling of uncertainty. Unpredictable – and this is why we fear what the future holds for us. Most of us like to be in control of our lives and choices, but diving into the future makes us vulnerable and this is why we choose not to think about it or we try to control it by planning ahead. Consequently, we tend to overlook some things and in the process, we end up missing out on great opportunities.
They say that life is what happens when we are busy making other plans. Also, life begins at the end of our comfort zone. What does a typical day entail to you? Are you that predictable? If yes, then it is time to make some major changes in your life. Start incorporating random things into your schedule every now and then. Get out of the comfort zone and out of your ordinary daily routine. This is a great way to spice up your life and attract great opportunities too! Learn to face your fears and insecurities, and once you overcome then, nothing can stop you from becoming who you want to be. Overcoming your fears and insecurities is like breaking all boundaries that hold you back. It’s like purchasing a ticket that gets you past all your limits no questions asked.
Say Yes, and You’ll Figure It Out Afterwards
A simple yes can be the key to many locked doors including the ones which you never thought could open for you. On the contrary, saying no locks you out of many possibilities due to your ignorance. Always be open to exploring life from various angles. Always say yes when life invites you to explore new adventures. The worst decision you can ever make is being close-minded and living life as if it was strictly black or white. There are many shades of gray in between waiting for you to question them and explore them. Life is not always about yes or no, sometimes there are some “maybe’s” in between. Be open to new ideas even from your team at work. By doing this, you will achieve better results than if you insist on enforcing your ideas on the other employees without considering other channels.
Saying yes is a good thing – but at times it may not be the best choice. Sometimes, you have to listen to your intuition. Before making any rash decisions, especially big decisions, follow your intuition. An intuition is that inner voice that tells you to quit your job and go start your own company even when the timing all sounds wrong. It is the voice that tells you to avoid taking the shortest route that you always take to work and then, later on, you hear that someone was hijacked that morning on that same route at exactly the same time you should have been there if you had passed through it. An intuition is that inner voice in your head that surpasses all critical and rational thinking.
If you want to do something but deep inside you something doesn’t feel right, then don’t do it. You may not be able to put a finger on it at the moment but with time, everything will become clearer to you. Just trust your gut and take the leap of faith. Make it a habit to do more, create more, see more and experience more every single day of your life.
Whe you say yes, the Universe helps you.
Saying yes is all about training your brain to always be positive. Re-train your brain to start seeing the best in people. Retrain your brain to start seeing the best side of every situation instead of only seeing the worst. Positive energy attracts the right people to your life. You will always find more people approaching you and sharing their great ideas with you because most people with positive energy have a warm personality. Through all these interactions, your social circle will grow with people who add value to your life and not those who take it away.
Saying yes takes a lot of faith because sometimes things are not what they seem to be. However, I can use a good example of a man who was approached with a deal that seemed too sour. The other party was a man who had old buildings and which he wanted to get rid of since they were at the worst they could be and they had no returns or value to him. So, to the seller, he was just looking for an exit strategy to get rid of them. As a typical buyer, most people would quickly say no and look for better buildings which they could use for business and other profitable ventures, right?
However, in this case, the man actually bought the buildings at throw away prices. The seller sealed the deal knowing that he had duped the buyer. On the contrary, when the buyer looked at the buildings, he did not see the present – he saw their future. He slowly started renovating the buildings. It took a lot of time, money and labor but eventually, they were as good as new. He then turned them into major business centers and since they were near what later became the central business district (CBD), he had already started making profits by end of the first year!
He actually looked for more abandoned buildings, renovated them and expanded his businesses. He turned some of them into factories for manufacturing household items and other basic necessities such as pens. To cut the long story short, he is now among the top 20 richest men (Chris Kirubi) in Africa! And all these resulted from the fact that at some point in his life, he took a risk and said yes when it really mattered. Re-train your brain to always follow your gut. From the above example, rational thinking would have led you to believe that buying the old buildings would be a bad investment. However, if you had re-trained your brain to always be positive and see the positive side of everything, you would be in a position to see an investment where others see a waste of their time and money.
Here comes the other side of the same script – knowing when to say no. It is important to develop a culture of saying yes to everything until you know when to say no. In other words, it is important to try out all the options available until you find the one that works best for you. Some people like to look at life as a school full of learning experiences. Each one of us is in a different class and consequently, we have different exam papers. This means that whatever works for someone else may not work for you. Therefore, always be ready to try out all the options at your disposal so that you can know when to say no.
Saying no shows authenticity to who you are and what you value. It helps you showcase better self-awareness and understanding. You should never be afraid to speak out your mind. Even if you are in a meeting where everyone is agreeing with the proposed ideas but you are not okay with them. If you have a better way of handling the situation, just kindly pitch it out to your colleagues and see if they like it or how they feel about it. A simple interjection can end up saving millions for the company and getting you that promotion you have been eyeing for years.
This also applies during practical interviews, if you disagree with a concept and you have valid reasons for that or you have better alternative ideas to offer, don’t be shy. Speak up, and explain your position. Maybe there wasn’t a right or wrong answer anyway. Do not always follow blindly what others are doing without knowing why they are doing it. Do not blindly replicate their results without understanding their question. Maybe you have a whole different test and you are doing everything wrong. Learn to say yes to positive energy, but also learn to say no to negative energy.
Saying yes is easy, but you have to do it wisely. When faced with an important decision to make, it is advisable to take time and think about it. Analyze both sides of the situations. If you say yes, what are the consequences or implications of your decisions? If you say no, are you locking yourself out of a opportunities for growth? Do not always be quick to say no. Do not be quick in turning down proposals and requests before giving it much thought. Great opportunities don’t always come packaged as we would expect. Keeping this in mind, it is also important to treat every with respect despite your differences.
Most people are always afraid of saying yes because in most cases, saying yes comes with uncertainty. This makes them anticipate the worst, tempting them to say no so as to avoid all the overwhelming assumptions.
However, it is also advisable to learn when (and how) to say no. This shows some form of authority and maturity. It portrays you as someone who knows what they want. It also shows that you are a critical thinker and a good analyst. However, this is only true if you actually think about it before saying no. Sometimes I tend to believe that maybe (just a little maybe), Barrack Obama became a black president of the United States because he literally said “yes” to the opportunity. Lastly, I would like to leave you with quote to think about. When opportunity doesn’t knock, open the door!
Saying yes is all about retraining the brain to be positive about everything including life itself. It’s about leaving your comfort zone and embracing the creative side of you. It’s about learning how to face your insecurities and overcome your fears, and once you have achieved this, you will be able to step into an infinitely creative space where you come to the realization that you can do so much more, just by saying yes. Moreover. Saying yes is all about being bold enough to try new things, learn new abilities, and enhancing your skills.
All You Gotta Do is Say Yes.
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