The Power of NO in a World of YES Men

“No.” Just take a moment and say it out loud. “No.” In today’s world, more people than ever have become “Yes Men,” and have become completely afraid of saying “No,” whether they don’t want to say “no” to a friend, or to a family member, most of a us have a really bad issue with saying “no.”

For some people, this is because they don’t want to disappoint, for others they naturally just feel like they need to put everything on their plate. This is why, if you are one of those people who finds themselves overwhelmed with everything because they always say “yes,” then it is time to finally start saying “no.”

There is nothing wrong with marching to the bat of your own drum and being a contrarian. In fact, the most influential people in the world are those that were willing to be unique, different and think outside of the box. The greatest inventions and creations in our modern world don’t come from people who try to fit in, play by the rules and say YES to everything.

If you want to look at the real power of being able to say NO in a YES world, here are some of the biggest benefits to keep an eye out for.

It Can Help You Focus On You

So many people think that saying no just means that they are being negative. It is time to abandon that way of thinking. This isn’t true. If you are able to say “no” to others, then you can finally put aside some time to focus on yourself and on your needs.

People who are down on themselves, exhausted, not taking care of themselves and not sleeping, all probably have one thing in common—they don’t know when to say “no” to others and they end up sacrificing their own personal needs and interests instead.

Your time is precious, so make sure that you guard it.

You Can Be More Productive

Think of all of the extra time you would have to get things done if you didn’t have to stop what you were doing all of the time because you are doing favors for others. You can be more productive... when you say “yes” too often, even if you are just trying to be nice, then your productivity is going to suffer, plain and simple.

It Helps Make You More Authentic

If you have a good reason to say “no” then say it. It not only helps you focus on yourself, but it can also help you be more authentic. This is because you are being honest with yourself, honest with others and staying true to your identity and who you are. So many people think that the word “no” is super negative but that is typically because it is given as an answer without a reason. Follow up with an explanation and be honest, it will help make you more authentic.

You Will Start Making Better Decisions

When you are committed to saying “no” more often, and not saying “yes” to everything, then it can cause you to take a moment and really think before you act. It will help you make a conscious decision and think about it before you give your answer.

Being committed to no longer being a “yes man” can give you a moment to really think about what it is that you are saying, and as a result, you can start making better, smarter decisions. Even the slightest pause where you stop and really think “should I say ‘no’ to this?” can go a long way in helping you with your decision.

You’re Going to Be More Self-Disciplined

We could all probably benefit from being more self-disciplined in our everyday lives and having some more control, no matter what it is that you are struggling to be more disciplined about. Learning to say “no” will help you make better, smarter decisions and it can help you safeguard your time.

Saying “no” doesn’t just mean saying “no” to other people, it means saying no to distractions whether it is a Facebook notification, a text from a friend or an email.

Keep these benefits in mind if you are looking for more reasons to start saying “no” and stop saying “yes” to everything that comes your way.