“When you say ‘Yes’ to others, make sure you are not saying ‘No’ to yourself.” – Paulo Coehlo
It’s the first blog post of the year, and we could spend our time doing exactly what thousands of other blog posts and podcasts and books and articles are doing right now – talking about what things we’re going to do in 2025. New technologies we’re going to try, new products we’re going to unveil, new markets we’re going to enter into, etc. All good stuff.
But I want leaders to think about 2025 differently. I want leaders to think about what they’re NOT going to do in 2025. What technologies won’t you try? What products won’t you unveil? What markets won’t you enter? And on and on.
The core of 2025 for me is going to be this: What am I going to say No to this year? I know that sounds negative. We’re supposed to be open to new ideas, new things, new people, etc. And I’m not suggesting that this should be the year of close-mindedness.
What I’m saying is that most of us say Yes to almost everyone and everything, with one exception. We fill up our plates so full that we can’t say Yes to ourselves and the things we need. Sometimes we convince ourselves we’re not allowed to, that if we say Yes to us then we’re being selfish. That’s flat out wrong.
If you aren’t saying Yes to the things you need in your life, the things that matter most to you, the things that energize you, the things you’re passionate about, then the Yes you’re giving everyone else will be far less than your best. You’ll do things you think you should for others, but the results will be disappointing. You won’t be your best you, which means you won’t be able to give anyone or anything else the best you have to give.
In the best way possible, make 2025 the Year of No. Know your passion, know what energizes you, and say Yes to being the superstar that you were designed to be.
