The Power of "Yes" And "No"

Dear Family,

There is power in the "No" and power in the "Yes."

However, you must understand when to say no and when to say yes. I've said yes and no to many things; some may never know why. I'm embarrassed by some things I've said yes to and continue to say yes to, but I'm also very proud of most of the things I've said and still say yes to!

I've learned that the difference between those who excel and those who do not is the ratio between how much they say yes to what they know?they?should say yes?to,?and how much?they?say no to what?they?know they should say no to. At times, this could be a very deliberate wrong decision that we've accepted or an unconscious choice in reflection we've realized was not the right decision.

Growing up in the inner city of Irvington, NJ, where many kids, including some of my friends at the time, unfortunately, found themselves either dead or in jail due to being caught up in the social pressures of a collective consensus of wrong decisions.?

We are all human and fall victim to these social pressures. I had to be very intentional about making the right decisions to overcome them and become the man I wanted to be. Doing so allowed me to pursue excellence and change my family legacy forever.

Even our fancy careers, neighborhoods, and country clubs, which many of my audience today are associated with, come with wrong social pressures.?

These could include drinking excessively, having an obsessive relationship with money that sparks greed, leading to impulsive investment decisions, and having limited connection with our children due to career demands. Please take the time to think twice, and don't become a victim of the consensus, as that usually leads to mediocrity.?

Contrarian thinking produces outsized life returns!?

This approach doesn't make the social media highlight reels and the news, but it is the simple truth to excellence and long-term prosperity! Fortunately, having great parents, strong mentors (some who know me and some who don't), consultants, advisors, personal and business coaches, therapists, spiritual leaders, and last but not least, my beautiful wife has helped me say no to most things and yes to the few right things.

We must realize that most people get lucky in the short term and do not consistently achieve the right yes, leading to mediocrity at best.?

Excellence at anything requires consistent, deliberate, and applicable decision-making MOST of the time. It requires us to slow down and think about what impact this decision has, positive or negative, over a long time and ask ourselves if I am okay with that outcome. We must manage our desire to satisfy the flesh and instant gratification and start praising long-term thinking, delayed gratification, and consistency!

This past week, I enjoyed spending time with Billionaire Howard Marks. He's one of the top investors in the world, and he says,?

"Where you see no risk is usually where the most risk is.?So, if?things are great during great times, it could be a function of the time but not a normal outcome.?There is no such thing as a free lunch. Usually, the more return you get, the more risk you've taken, so don't let anyone fool you otherwise."

We can't have FOMO and make decisions in a vacuum.?

When making decisions, we must have a comprehensive view, which takes time and thoughtful planning, just like financial planning. We must balance risk and reward with effective execution and follow-through. We must be intentional with the use of Yes and No.

Warm Regards,

Matt Aaron

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