EpisodesStoreCommunitySubmit a topicLogin
December 12, 2016
056: Saying no to good things

Sometimes you have to say no to really good opportunities, whether that be because you’re too busy to take them on, or because you want to make sure there is still room for great opportunities to come your way. In this episode share our experiences with saying no to things we might otherwise have said yes to, and give some advice for figuring out whether or not you should say yes to something.

key takeaways

When making a decision, always keep your goal in mind. Even though an opportunity sounds good on paper, if it doesn’t align with your goal that can be an instant deal breaker.

Saying no to good opportunities is about forecasting and thinking bigger. If you say yes to this small thing, you’ll already be committed and have to say no if a bigger and better thing comes along, so looking ahead and doing a gut check will help you decide.

Saying no will get easier with the more opportunities you are given, because you’ll have more to benchmark against and from experience, you’ll be better equipped to predict the outcomes.Our standards for what makes a good opportunity are raised over time with the more we say yes to. Something you were excited about last year might be an instant ‘no’ now because you’ve already done it, so are ready for bigger and better things.

show timestamps

00:00 – Intro & catch up

04:30 – Saying no to good things so you can say yes to great things

08:10 – When to say no

12:10 – Looking back on past opportunities

15:40 – Saying no when you don’t want to

19:00 – Taking a gut check

21:45 – Opportunity cost

24:00 – Scarcity mindset

27:30 – Wrap up & last words of advice

show links