There’s no glory in saying yes all the time.

You’ve heard it before:

If it’s not a “hell yes” it’s a “no.”

But what if you hate disappointing people?

What if you feel like you’ll sound like an ass?

Time to flip the script.

Saying “no” doesn’t make you an ass. It makes you a superhero.

People who say “no” own their domain. They know what they can take on and they know what they need to leave out. They’re masters.

And you can be one too. All you gotta do is say “no.”

And it’s entirely possible to say it in a nice way.

Use these 5 rules to help you do it:

1. The Alignment Rule

2. The Clarity Rule

3. The Boundary Rule

4. The Question Rule

5. The Reverse Psychology Rule

Let’s go!

1. The Alignment Rule

You’ve only got this one life. And you’ve only got a handful of core values. Therefore, if the request doesn’t align with your core values, you HAVE to say “no.”

And here’s how you do it nicely:

Nothing feels worse than doing something you know you can’t agree with.

So don’t.

2. The Clarity Rule

You’re already pulled in a ton of different directions. Never be pulled into a different direction by somebody who doesn’t done the work themselves.

If they don’t do their homework before bringing it to you, they’re just passing the buck.

Time to say “no.”

3. The Boundary Rule

You’ll want to say “yes” occasionally but you can’t say it indefinitely. Let the person know you have a limit.

Share your calendar or task list if you get pushback.

4. The Question Rule

You’ll get a lot of requests because the other person is overwhelmed. But that doesn’t mean you say “yes” blindly.

If someone asks you to do something, ask them “why”. If they can’t tell you, you can’t do it.

5. The Reverse Psychology Rule

A lot of times people are just asking to ask. But it’s not really a priority for them.

In this rule you’re saying “yes” but you’re saying “yes” to the right thing.

Summary

5 rules to help you say “no” (in a really nice way)

Whether you’re already overwhelmed, trying to prevent it, or are simply doing too many things that don’t make sense, employ these 5 rules and experience some peace of mind.

1. The Alignment Rule

2. The Clarity Rule

3. The Boundary Rule

4. The Question Rule

5. The Reverse Psychology Rule

And if you still feel uncomfortable saying “no” remember this:

"Those who do not assert their own worth and fight for their own dreams will forever be at the mercy of those who do."

So just say “no.”

I’ll be right there with you.

What I'm working on

I put myself out there and invited cool people to discuss their remote leadership struggles.

There was some amazing dialogue, and I’m excited about what gets built from this conversation.

If you ever wanna chat about your struggles. HMU, and we can share a coffee.

Here’s something that motivated me

Love him or hate him, Conor McGregor is a fascinating character.

The biggest surprise? His mental toughness + elegant thinking.

In the 4 part mini-series McGregor Forever, one part stuck out. Here’s how he puts it:

Don’t judge a book by its cover. I always thought McGregor was arrogant and a bit thick.

I’ve never been more wrong about someone. And who am I to judge?

He’s where he is because of his mindset. He went from welfare to nine figures because of his mindset.

We could all learn a thing or two from him.

See ya next week. ✌️

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