According to researchers and the authors of The Power of No,95% of us say some version of yes when asked, are you busy? We’re a society obsessed with being busy, staying busy and saying yes. Even when we want to say no. Most research suggests we’re better off saying no when we don’t want to do something. After all, we’re always busy right? But in case you needed a little encouragement, here’s one of the most effective statements on the subject I’ve come across.
- “When you say yes to something you don’t want to do, here is the result: you hate what you are doing, you resent the person who asked you, and you hurt yourself.” - James Altucher, Author.
What’s most interesting is what happens when you say no to stuff you don’t want to do. You save money. You do what you would prefer to do which makes you happier and yes, you have more time. If the saving money thing comes as a surprise, the reason’s pretty straight-forward. Most occasions/events/get together’s you don’t want to involve spending money you wouldn’t otherwise spend. That's the double or triple whammy of saying yes when you really prefer to say no.
If you want more time, save more money and generally be happier, say no when you want to say no. It might seem scary at first but think about the negativity of saying yes again before you commit.
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