Basically, if something is not what you truly want, say no.
When you say no, generally the person who hears it will react negatively in different levels. Their reaction has a lot more to do with them than it does with you. If they push you too much, I recommend you simply turn it around on them by emphasizing the NO that would accompany the yes. For example, “Why are you asking me to say no to my family, my health, my goals, and so on, just so I can say yes to your request?
Other people may pressure you to say yes, but before you do so, take a look at the no you’ll have to bear. Do you say no to your family in order to further your career? Do you say no to good health habits in order to fit in with your peers? Do you say no to setting your own goals in order to say yes to the reactive bait others lay before you?
Focusing is about saying no…
Saying no is hard and it’s not a matter of killing bad things, but must be done to focus. Here is a video about Steve Jobs – Excellent short answer on the importance of saying “no” and the effect on the people.
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There are some useful pages about saying no.
Check out some of them below.
How to Say “No” Effectively and Gain Time for Yourself | Manilla Blog
www.manilla.com3/22/12
Your time is precious, and you will never have enough of it if you say Yes to everything. There’s an art to saying No, and you can master it.
How to Say “No” at Work | Healthcare News, Information and Career …
career-news.allhealthcarejobs.com3/21/12
How to Say “No” at Work Are you the kind of person that has a difficult time saying no to others? Have you recently been assigned the work of a team member who has just been laid off? Here in the states, everything is being …
The Spiritual Practice of Saying “No”. (sisters, take note) | Nadia Bolz …
www.patheos.com3/21/12
I’ve had the weirdest thing happen recently. People have thanked me for saying no to them. Let me explain: A couple years ago I returned every email and FB message from strangers and seminary students and desperate …
How to Say No to Others | Wisdom a la Carte Blog
wisdomalacarte.net3/17/12
Do you have a hard time saying no to others? Do you say yes when you really mean no? You’re not alone.
Conclusion
Saying no isn’t easy, but it’s a needed skill if you want to have any degree of focus in your life. If you say yes too often, you’ll likely fall into the common trap of saying yes to the good while simultaneously saying no to the best.
