No.

No.

It’s a pretty powerful word, I’d argue even more powerful than Yes. Your life is defined much more by what you say No to, than the things you say Yes to.

Today, we get pulled in so many directions. This shiny new thing, that new cool toy, this speaking engagement, that project that I’m not really that interested in. All the distractions can make us lose sight of what’s important.

So lately I’ve been exercising the “No Muscle.”

Can you speak @ this conference? No.

Can you come visit us at our offices? No. (I’ve only done 2 physical meetings in the past 3 years)

Can you help out with our advisory board? No.

I say No to a lot these days. For example, I have to turn down ~84% of the people who come my way, asking me to work with them. I stay in rather than going out. I let opportunities pass.

It’s not that I’m some antisocial agoraphobe, that I enjoy saying No, or that I plainly don’t want to do something – the problem is that I really DO, but focus on my goals wins out every time. Because if I didn’t keep my focus, all the rest would fall apart. So things that don’t fit closely with those goals, well they just don’t happen. I prefer to be the dad that was there to teach his daughter to say “Happy Birthday Mommy” for his wife’s birthday. I prefer to be the husband that is ALWAYS there for his wife. And in business, I prefer to be the guy who does an extremely small set of things exceptionally, extraordinarily, amazingly well.

Exceptional Quality over quantity.

And it’s because success & happiness aren’t mutually exclusive. I prefer the Abundance mentality – yes, you can be successful, have a great business, an amazing family life, and do super cool stuff in your life – all at the same time.

So when I say No, it’s not because I don’t want something – rather, it’s the just case that I value focus and want to keep pushing & striving toward the things I KNOW are the most important things to me.

-Evan