You Need This Word

There is a word you can use to save time.

There is a word you can use to give yourself more.

There is a word, that once spoken can save you from yourself.

There is a word which can save you from living other people's dreams.

What is more surprising is even with the weight of evidence available, we are still not convinced we should say it more.

Fear—False Evidence Appearing Real—stops us from saying it for fear of causing upset.

And yet, once spoken, decisions don’t diminish in quality or value—they grow. Life takes off as the concentrated effort reaps rewards. The upside of a word seen as so negative no one wants to say it is the inverse of the vibe we draw from it.

The word I’m talking about…

No.

I’ve said before it’s not what you add, but what you take away. For most of us, a good starting point is to stop adding. To do this, you have to say no.

Ryan Holiday, the famed stoic writer calls it out as his first rule for a better life.

Say no (a lot).

There is so much upside to a negative word. But most of us don’t speak it enough. We pass up the opportunity to focus, to double down, to play the long game because we don’t say no.

As a decision-maker, saying no is the lever you never knew you needed.

So, before you say yes, before you agree—just to keep the peace, remember your goals. Remember growth comes from doing less, not more.

That’s why you need this word.

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