In praise of saying YES.
It feels almost counter-cultural in today’s world, it’s rare to hear reminders about the power of saying yes.
There’s no shortage of content on saying NO; articles, books, strategies to protect your energy, set boundaries. But sometimes, all that “no” advice can feel heavy and keep us away from living life to the fullest.
📚 My own story:
Some of my best adventures, unexpected journeys, people and opportunities all started with a yes, not knowing what exactly lay on the other side of the door:
🏅London Olympics: I saw a small ad on my university noticeboard, signed up immediately, and ended up advising the Olympic Committee with Deloitte in Switzerland.
🏰 Disney: I spotted a newspaper ad about summer work at Disneyland. That same afternoon, I interviewed, and I spent the summer creating some of the most memorable stories of my life.
🔔Notre Dame (Paris): Over a coffee, a friend mentioned that Notre Dame was looking for tourist guides. I wrote a letter and ended up living in a stunning apartment by the cathedral, learning French, exploring every nook of Notre Dame, and making lifelong friends.
If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but you are not sure you can do it, I believe in saying yes, then figuring out how to do it. Even if I have no idea where I’m going to end up, or how to get there, I prefer to say yes instead of no.
Opportunity favours the bold. Plus, saying yes is a lot more fun than saying no. I have enjoyed life a lot more that way.
⚖️ Some tips to find your balance:
-It’s not about saying yes to everything, align yeses with your values and goals.
-There will be failures, but the journey is often worth it.
-Saying yes doesn’t need to be reckless. Measure the risk, then act.
-Surround yourself with people and opportunities that make you want to say yes
🫵 My invitation to you:
Here’s a simple exercise to start embracing the ‘Yes mindset’ that I do with my clients:
1️⃣Take 5 minutes today and write down one thing you would normally hesitate to say yes to, a meeting, a project, a conversation.
2️⃣Ask yourself: “What’s the smallest yes I could give today that moves me forward?”
3️⃣Say yes, talk to that person, sign up, show up…and later, reflect on what happens.
Even small yeses can ripple into meaningful change, opening new doors, experiences, and connections.
As Richard Branson says, “The brave might not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all.”
