Personal Development

The Power of Saying No: An Essential for Your Well-Being

Protect your time and energy

Bill Abbate
Curated Newsletters
6 min readJul 18, 2024

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Photo by Miguel Á. Padriñán from Pexels

How often do you find yourself saying no? Do you worry you may hurt someone’s feelings? What makes you feel this way, and how can you overcome it? Let’s explore these questions and more.

Some years ago, I became an avid follower of Peter Drucker, the father of modern management. Reading one of his books, I discovered something that changed my life regarding saying no. Drucker wrote, “People are effective because they say ‘no,’ because they say, ‘this isn’t for me.” These simple yet profound words made me reconsider my actions. I recall thinking, wow, what if I said no occasionally? How much more could I accomplish that truly matters?

Should you say no?

At the time, I rarely thought to say no when someone asked something of me. I knew I could but seldom did, often to my detriment. Drucker’s words resonated deeply, prompting me to reconsider my approach. I realized that saying no could significantly increase my effectiveness and productivity.

Some of us say yes to things we have no business agreeing to. Depending on the relationship, it can be challenging to say no. After all, who wants to say no to a spouse or boss? Bill Crawford…

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Bill Abbate
Curated Newsletters

Leadership Writer and Editor in ILLUMINATION, Leadership/Executive Coach, Author www.BillAbbate.com