[SERIES] 4/7 Unpopular Belief: Say Yes To Everything
But you can't say yes to everything!If you do, you'll just be overwhelmed and out of time!This is partially true, but not completely. Let me explain.This is Part 4 of the 7 Unpopular Beliefs Series.
Say Yes To Everything!
Once you're rich, you can say "no."
Until then, you're working on creating new opportunities and building new relationships.When you have too many and you start to feel overwhelmed, it's time to cut the bottom 20%.Kill the bottom 20% of your projects, relationships, whatever you're spending your time on.If you do this continually, the only way is up.
Diversify your opportunities
By saying "yes," to things you might otherwise reject, you're diversifying--a major principle in investing. Over time, you'll learn what returns on investment and what doesn't. This will also protect you from depending too much on one opportunity.If you work for GE for 25 years and suddenly they decide to lay you off, you now have to find another job. If you develop multiple skills and streams of income over 25 years, it's going to be a lot harder to knock you down.
Reinvest In Your Network
"No one has ever said: 'I'm too well liked and I'm too well respected--I just can't seem to make any money.'"- Seth Godin
By showing your network that you appreciate and value them (by adding value), they will appreciate and value you.This creates more opportunities and keeps you fresh in their minds when new ones arise.You also have the benefit of a strong support network when things go sideways.
2 Minute Action:
Take 2 minutes to do one of the following:
- Email/call/text an old colleague and tell them how they made a difference in your life.
- Think of someone who asked you to do something recently. Not a favor like "can you drive me to the airport." I mean more like "hey, do you want to start a really informal podcast about hunting?"
- Say "yes," and commit for a period of time. Have a rule about what will allow you to bail and agree on it with an accountabilibuddy.
- If you're not overloaded, add something to your project list.
- If you're overloaded, kill the bottom 20% of projects you're working on.
Everything That's Holding You Back In 60 Seconds
There's something calling for your attention.It's asking for something important, that you value.It's asking for your time and your focus.It's asking for your energy and your intention.It's asking for those precious limited resources we have.
It's everything.
Well, it's everything but what's important.What's important and urgent deserves your focus and energy.What's important and not urgent also deserves your time and intention.It's those non-essential things, which makes up most of what's out there, that will take up 80% of your resources.
You can't do everything.
So choose what is essential to your life.Yes, you can choose to do this--most people won't.Most people will let their lifestyle inflate to consume their income and then complain that they need more income to pay for their lifestyle.But not you, you're smarter than that.The same goes for work and personal habits.You get to choose what's essential and how to focus your time.Yes, you can.
2 Minute Action:
The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior.Take 2 minutes to look at how you've spent your time (work and outside of work) over the last 4 weeks.What is non-essential or not helping you achieve your goals?Take this small moment to delete some non-essentials and commit for a week--not forever--just a week to see how you do.It probably took you only 60 seconds to read this post and form an opinion.It doesn't take much more to take action.