I’m a big fan of getting the confidence to say no more. I’ve talked about in my blog, on my podcast and even on a guest post…but this time I want to talk about the three times when you absolutely mustn’t say no…even if your whole being is tell you to do just that.
Over the past year or so, I can name numerous times when I really wanted to say no…and even though on more than one occasion I could have easily walked away I knew that I really shouldn’t because the opportunity was just too good.
Now we all have things like this that come up from time to time, where, if we’re not careful, the ‘N’ word can slip easily from our tongue (even when we really struggle to say it at any other time) making us free once again to go back to the safety of our comfort zone.
So, here’s when (and why) you shouldn’t say no
- When it’s a great opportunity
We can usually all recognise a great opportunity. The problem is that sometimes great opportunities come in terrifying disguises, like when we have to do a presentation in front of lots of people, or taking the lead on a project, or going for that dream promotion…and this is where our brains get a bit confused and try to convince us that it’s not really a good opportunity at all. In fact it’s not something we can do, we’re doomed to fail, we won’t get it anyway, we’re not ready, that’s not us, we’re happy where we are, we don’t need the extra hassle etc etc…so we find ourselves saying no.
2) When it’s a stretch
Ever had that feeling where you want to do something but it just feels way too scary? If so, you’re in good company as I’m willing to bet we all have. But, just like stretching our muscles stretching ourselves can be uncomfortable too, but again, just like stretching our muscles it does get easier over time. Being afraid or nervous is allowed. It’s perfectly normal. In fact, when we’re doing new things and developing ourselves it can soon become par for the course. But that shouldn’t be a reason to say no. In fact, it can often be a great reason to say yes and grow.
If someone offers you an amazing opportunity, but you’re not sure you can do it, say yes!…then learn how to do it later! Richard Branson
3. When you’ve never done it before
If you’re faced with something that you’ve never done before and you find yourself automatically saying no, because of that (or because you’ve never thought of doing it before) have a bit of a re-think. Often we convince ourselves that it’s not something we want to do at all….but that belief might have come from a long time ago and might not still be true for where you are right now. We all change over time so rather than saying a hasty no, get some more information and see whether it might work for you to say yes and just test the water.
What to do instead
If it’s something that secretly appeals to you have a go anyway and say yes. (Click here to have a read about when I did something super scary and way out of my comfort zone!) We all have to start somewhere and often we can surprise ourselves so trust that the opportunity was made for you and take all the learning you can from it.
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