Business was clicking and whirring along. Leads were crawling out of the woodwork. I had tapped into a magical source capable of giving upon itself and if you want to know the secret so that you, too, can experience the glorification of busy-ness, it’s simple. Say “yes” to everything.
But, I should issue a caveat. There are times when saying “yes!” should be embraced. When someone needs your help and you are able to give of yourself without suffering detriment. When doing so allows for learning and the old adage of balancing risk versus reward tips toward the gift. When you are propositioned to take on a task you know you are capable of doing, or at the very least, you have the tenacity to figure out.
Then say “YES!”
We say “yes” because we are fearful, because we have been conditioned to regard every chance as if it were an opportunity.
Chance and opportunity are two different things.
Mindlessly accepting what appear to be godsends from people in the form of sales, referrals, bartered deals, etc. isn’t wise.
Consider this analogy: if you are a loan officer and I send a prospect to you who is interested in buying a house, you still need to run their credit don’t you?
It’s exactly the same in business and why it is critical to perform your due diligence. Research that new contact. Take a look at their site, what they stand for, learn how they respond to you (or don’t), assess what you agree with and what you would have a hard time working alongside. Be true to yourself when you answer the question of if you can work together.
What you will struggle against in your heart is not sustainable.
Sometimes being on a different energy wavelength is enough of a discerning factor. No one knows you like you. No one has the intimate understanding of the processes you need to stay happy. Do you require more silence than noise? Do you need the positive collaboration of others working toward a goal? What are your specialties? Maybe you never want to work with a client in retail. Perfectly fine. You don’t need validation to make your decision; you just need to operate from the standpoint of what works for you.
Then fearlessly live it.
We try so hard to emulate others who seem to have it all, but we know nothing of their lives. We have zero information on what their day looks like, or how they really feel about the direction their business is going. We only know what is presented to us.
Make a promise to yourself to stop imitating others, to stop comparing yourself and your individual talents. Gauge yourself based on the reason you are here...the actions only you can deliver in your unique way.
Then offer that service to a select few, those who pass your criteria to likely collaborate to a positive and prosperous relationship. Refer anyone else who doesn’t fit in with your vision and method.
The place to start? Get to know you. Write down what kind of work makes your soul sing. What types of personalities do you prefer to be around? What businesses set fire to your soul? What is your mission in working? Do you have a bigger purpose than running a business? If you’re operating a non-profit, you do. Has it been forgotten because of the fear of loss? Have you identified your service? At the end of the day, it all harkens back to the touchy feely.
What you need may not be what someone else is looking for.
A referral, a project, a lead...these are all rudimentary starts, the vague shapes of potential. Flesh them out with the gritty intention to learn what’s right for you. Only when you can say “yes” will you realize the true gift of being unafraid to speak a loud and clear, guilt-free “no.”