If you want to go your own way, be prepared to hack a lot of people off.
Nobody likes being told no. That’s why so many people say yes to things.
They don’t want to make others feel bad, or they don’t want to sever current or potential friendships, or they don’t want to be excluded from future possibilities, or they don’t want to be looked down upon, etc.
But the truth is, if you want to be successful, you’re going to have to say no a lot more than you say yes.
Want to go hang out at the bar?
Want to spend time in front of the TV or on social media? Want to take an extended vacation?
None of these things are bad in themselves, but if you still haven’t made your dream come true, then realise that every time you say yes to what someone else wants you to do, you are saying no to whatever it is you truly want to do.
It’s a judgment call, and one a lot (and I mean a lot) of people struggle with.
Successful people are very conscious of how they spend their time.
One of my favourite quotes is from a man named Paul Coelho he said:
‘One day you will wake up & there won’t be any more time to do the
things you’ve always wanted. Do it now.’
His background is quite instructive as an object lesson in saying no.
Paulo Coelho was born in Brazil and attended a Jesuit school. As a teenager,
Coelho wanted to become a writer. Upon telling his mother this, she responded, “My dear, your father is an engineer.
He’s a logical, reasonable man with a very clear vision of the world. Do you actually know what it means to be a writer?”
But didn’t stop him, he response to his parents was ‘No’ I am not going to be
an engineer, I want to be a writer.
At 17, Coelho’s introversion and opposition to following a traditional path led to his parents committing him to a mental institution from which he escaped three times before being released at the age of 20.
By following his dreams, Coelho became a very successful writer and author.
So, if you tell people your dreams of starting a business and going it alone, don’t be surprised if you face negativity, it goes with the territory.
Just stay resolute and strong and learn to say no to anyone who wants to stop you from following your dreams.
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