Business Success Tip #7 - How To Stop Saying Yes When You Need To Say No
Published on 8 Aug 2007 at 8:07 am.
5 Comments.
Filed under Business Development, Feature Articles, Personal Development Strategies.
Are you ever asked to volunteer for something or work on a project you didn’t want to do? Did you feel pressured to say yes when you really wanted to say no? Maybe you needed the money, didn’t want to disappoint someone, or the old guilt thing?
In a coaching session yesterday, my client began the conversation talking about how overwhelmed she felt. Two weeks ago she felt a money crunch and agreed to take on a project with a client she found difficult to work with. Aspects of the job required her to research areas that were out of her expertise and were time-consuming. Additionally, she had been afraid to set her fees at a level that compensated her real value. So, she was doing work she didn’t enjoy that ate up valuable time for low pay because she needed money and felt desperate to say yes. Sound familiar? Let me also add that when she focuses on doing what she loves, she always attracts money!
We all find ourselves in situations when we want to say no in business situations and in our personal lives and may not have the words to tactfully refuse.
If you struggle to find the words to say no, check out these three resources:
Get More Done
How To Just Say No
20 Ways To Say No
There might be times when saying yes is the right thing for you to do when you want to say no. I suggest getting crystal clear on your reasons and intentions for your decision so that it is one you can make freely and joyfully without the shoulds and guilt attached. Barring an emergency that requires an immediate decision, take at least 24 hours to consider a request before jumping in with both feet and having regrets. You’ll be glad you did!
Exercise to do in the next 24-48 hours:
Review the resources on saying no and practice some of the suggested strategies. Write down your observations about what happened. This exercise will help you in areas of both business development AND personal development.
PS: Need help making decisions? Grab my eBook, How Do I Choose? to help you make rock-solid decisions
Leave me a comment about this post! 
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