“So see every opportunity as golden, and keep your eyes on the prize – yours, not anybody else’s.” -Roberta Flack
Stay focused and accomplish your goal faster by using the Power of No. Have your eye on the prize and ruthlessly refuse any opportunities that will deviate you from your path. Say yes only to those things that will help you achieve your goal.
Don’t say yes to everything that comes your way. You might think you’re helping people out by accepting their offers, but you’re actually doing a disservice to the world.
People will appreciate and get more use out of your unique value that you put your all into, rather than a bunch of half-hearted projects. You can’t give your all if you’re constantly giving your time and energy to other projects that don’t help you accomplish your main goal.
Plus, by using the Power of No, you’ll not only accomplish your goal faster because you’re focused, you’ll also have less weight on your shoulders. There’s no psychological ambiguity and guilt when it comes to others, since you’re clearly refusing opportunities with no chance of misinterpretation—and false expectations—from other people.
Strengthen Your Power of No
It’s hard to say no at first because you feel guilty or don’t want to hurt feelings. That’s fine; we’re human and want to help others. Start building your No muscle by saying no to smaller things, then move on to bigger opportunities and close friends and family. Remember: getting outside our comfort zone is a good thing because it means we’re growing and becoming stronger as a person.
You don’t have to—and shouldn’t—be rude or even blunt: you can honestly say that it’s not personal, you’re just focusing on your goal and don’t want to get sidetracked.
Over time, it’ll get easier, and your Power of No will grow stronger because you’re establishing a standard. You are clearly saying no as a blanket approach towards everyone, so it becomes nothing personal.
If you were playing a video game, and your goal was to get your character to gain a level, you’ll accomplish that the fastest by focusing only on gaining experience points. Slaying bad guys, finishing quests, whatever. Ruthlessly refuse any non-essential quests.
If you started accepting non-essential quests, it’ll take much longer to get what’s important done. Do enough of those useless side-quests, and you might start to forget what you wanted to accomplish in the first place. Use the Power of No to stay focused and accomplish your goal faster.
I Focus On My Goal, Refuse Everything Else
Throughout college, I constantly produced and recorded others. I rarely had time for my own music. After a while, I lost direction of what I wanted out of music, and I forgot why I was making it in the first place.
After taking a breather during winter break, in 2008 I wanted to focus on only my own tunes, which is what I enjoyed most. I started saying no to any outside music projects.
It was tough at first: I felt guilty refusing requests from people I knew. But after the first time I stood my ground and said no, I felt a sudden sense of freedom. The Power of No surged through me. It got easier saying no, and after a while, most people understood that I now only made my own music, not working with anyone else.
I now focus on my own writing and music and building a business around that. I want to deliver maximum value, and by only having those activities on my plate I can make the best possible stuff and faster. I say no to any business and partnership opportunities that won’t help those things get better.
Here’s what I say to people who ask me to work with them: “I appreciate the offer but decline. I have my eye on my prize and don’t do anything that deviates me from it. Nothing personal. I know you have your own goals, and I feel you’ll understand.”
Stay Focused and Accomplish Your Goal Faster
What goal are you trying to accomplish? Is it taking too long? Are you not as focused as you’d like? Accomplish your goal faster by using the Power of No.
Have your eye on the prize and refuse any opportunities that will deviate you from your path. Say no, keep your valuable time and energy, and you can give your all and deliver maximum awesomeness to the world as a result. The Power of No lets you stay focused and accomplish your goal faster.
“Work for your own destiny. Doing anything else bleeds the soul dry.” -Nathan Hangen
Useful Stuff Elsewhere
The Art of Letting Bad Things Happen – Tim Ferriss on letting smaller bad things happen in order to focus on and achieve your big wins.
The Power of Saying No – Tomas Stonkus explains the benefits of saying no and how it prevents you from giving your power away to others.
