Dec 14, 2010

Say No To Saying Yes

#thoughts

People who say YES to everything are digging themselves into a hole. Not just saying yes when you’re asked to commit to doing something, but when you’re asked to commit to any thought or idea.

I’ve been guilty of this for as long as I can remember. And it doesn’t seem like a bad thing. What’s wrong with being agreeable?

Being agreeable is the worst thing you can do for your brand.

There’s no possible way to agree to everything. The world is made up of opposites. Agreeing to everything is hypocritical.

More importantly, it’s impossible to stand for something if you keep saying yes. And if you don’t stand for anything, you become a mushy glob of uncertainty that everyone likes, but can’t be depended on to bear weight.

It’s easy to say yes, because we’re rarely asked to sacrifice anything other than time or money.

Saying no is hard. Because disagreement is usually followed by discussion. Worse, questions. And who has time for those? Who has time for for discussion? Discussion leads to exposure, exposure to vulnerability. And that is truly scary.

It’s just easier to agree and move on.

Don’t fall into the trap. Practice saying No. Practice disagreeing. Be devil’s advocate.

And in the process. Develop your voice. Develop your character. And develop your brand.

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