Just Say ‘Yes’ To Everything

Advice for a Better Life

The answer to most things people ask you to do should be a resounding “Yes.”

Saying “No” doesn’t get you very far.

“No” is an answer that closes doors and shuts you off from new opportunities. Opportunities you probably didn’t even know existed. I wouldn’t argue that you should never say “No,” but if you do, do it after a decent amount of thought. Really sit there and analyze what you’ll be giving up by turning something down.

Saying “Yes” can lead to so many different things. By simply wanting to do something and then actually doing it, you can end up in positions that you never thought possible. A person with a history of saying “Yes” is never going to have a shortage of opportunities. Something you agreed to do ten years ago might manifest itself in a new experience today.

Even if you don’t know how to do what’s being asked of you, you may want to say “yes” anyway. If it’s at least somewhere in your wheelhouse— like, it’s not too far from your skill set—you can make things up as you go along. Eventually, you’ll learn.

And there’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, things might be better that way. Most people would rather work with someone who is passionate and willing to learn than someone who knows it all but is not very motivated. Those are the kind of people that everyone smiles in front of, but secretly hopes will get fired. They’re the worst.

But don’t oversell. Don’t say “Yes” to things that you have absolutely no capacity to do. Don’t tell someone you can build a website and you don’t know the first thing about it. There’s nothing worse than that sort of thing.

Also, don’t be ignorant. Be passionate and motivated, but don’t be stupid. You will get taken advantage of. I’ve said yes to things without really being business-minded, and as a result I’ve probably lost a decent amount of money. I’m not advocating that money should be everything, but you definitely have to take it into consideration.

Some main points to consider before you say “Yes”:

1. Excitement— how fun will this be? Will you get a thrill? Studies suggest that exciting experiences and happiness are directly related. You want to be happy, right? RIGHT?
2. Effort— provided you get a thrill, how much effort will you have to expend to get it? Do you feel like working very hard? What kind of work will it be? Does that work seem enjoyable or will it make you pull your hair out and regret that you said “Yes?”
3. Compensation— how much is it paying? It it paying at all? If there’s no monetary compensation, how else might you benefit from it? Does the payoff make sense in light of how much effort needs to be expended?
4. Qualifications— Are you even the right person for this? Can you do what you’re being asked to do? Can you learn as you go along? Do you feel like you can legitimately do an awesome job? If you can’t do it, how can you make yourself useful in another way, so that the job still gets done?
5. The Big Picture— where does what you’re being asked to do fit in with the grand scheme of what you want out of life? Is it a waste of time? Is it valuable? If it’s not that valuable, will the compensation for the completed task help you with something else you want to do?

Truth is, there isn’t always a strategic of way of figuring this stuff out. Some people suggest writing your answers down and coming up with a plan. Others say to trust your gut. Personally, I think a bit of both is the best bet. You’ll make some good decisions. You’ll make some bad decisions. That’s life.

The key to saying “Yes” is keeping the door open, so that you’ll always be doing something new and interesting. Even if you say “Yes” reluctantly, you’ll at least be giving something a shot. Give it a try. See what you can do.

Because what’s the worst that can happen, you fail? You die? That’s a fear of living itself. You might even already be dead. You just don’t realize it. Maybe you’re still breathing, walking and doing stuff that living people do, but you’re not really living. You’re just existing.

Saying “Yes” isn’t just about careers and work. It’s about life.

Are you a “Yes” person or a “No” person? A “No” person is going to be stuck in one place. They’ll have fewer great experiences, have a limited scope of knowledge and smaller set of skills.

A “Yes” person is going to be the complete opposite. A “Yes” person is going to have lived a fulfilled life, and be capable of doing a million and one things. They may be rich, they may be poor. They may be both! But they’ll have truly lived. And that’s what saying “Yes” is all about.