No is a yes

It’s not enough to say yes to the things that matter most to you.

Yes is nothing without a no.

No is crucial to create the conditions for a state of flow, remove the unnecessary, the distracting and the trivial.

Say no to the unimportant, and the malicious little things that matter least, which feed on your time and leave nothing for the things that matter most.

By saying no, you are saying yes to focus, to productivity, to mastery.

A dramatic family member calling you to gossip and engage you in a toxic conversation that will drain you and ruin your day. No.

An unplanned meeting to discuss how to organize and clean the office fridge when a big project is underway. No.

A sales call. No.

Clearing off your emails because you committed to an inbox zero challenge. No.

Reorganizing your closet because you couldn’t find your favourite shirt. No.

With every no, you’re saying yes to more time, better focus, joy, fulfillment, and higher energy to us and put into what matters most to you.

To get important shit done.

And to make a real difference in your life.

An excerpt from The Dark Art of Mastering Your Life book.