"Say yes."

This one might come as a bit of a surprise to you... Don’t get me wrong, I fully value the power of ‘no’. It’s by saying “no” more that you can make sure you’re staying focused on the things that are most important to you, and not get caught up in things that don’t add value to your life.

It’s such an important detail that Warren Buffet, one of the wealthiest people in the world,  is known for saying “The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything".

Notice how he articulated that - “Really successful people say no to almost everything". This means that there are some very important, specific things that they say “yes” to. 

What you ‘say yes’ to is what aligns with your values, which are the things that are most important to you, the life you want to live, and the causes and character you want to stand for. Anything else that pulls you away from that alignment and distracts you from what matters most deserves a ‘no’. And trust me, we need more of those.

But when those moments do come up, that are fully aligned with your best self and your best life, that’s when you say “yes”. But many of us shy away from it. Often these opportunities are inconvenient, expensive, risky, complicated, or challenging. There's a compelling argument for why, logically, “no is the right decision.

It’s by overcoming this resistance and accommodating the things that are most important to us that we infuse our life with purposeful and fulfilling fire. Like making an effort to be at someone’s graduation even though it makes no sense for you to be there. Or making sacrifices to lead that nonprofit initiative you really care about but don’t have the time for. Or spending your money on that once in a lifetime experience rather than investing it in something that builds up your future.

Again, these things need to meet an exceptional criteria. But when they do, you can’t miss them! This is what gives life it’s meaning. This is what it’s all for. And this is what you’ll regret if you don’t do it.

One of the best qualities about my wife Irene is how far she’ll go to be a part of something important to her. She’s clear on her values, particularly prioritizing the people in her life, and she’ll go to the end of the Earth for them. 

It’s inspiring, but it’s hers! What are your values, and what moments do you need to absolutely be a part of?