By LYNNE CONLAN
Executive director, Sun City Center Area Chamber of Commerce
Think about this for a minute. “No” is not a four-letter word.
But I’ll bet if you counted the number of times during a day, week or month that you say “yes,” you’ll discover it’s a lot more times than you say “no.”
For many of us, the word “no” is one of the hardest to say. But in business, it’s also one of the most important.
Giving of your time and doing things for others are essential to our community, our chamber and for our own well-being. But some of us go too far.
Saying “yes” to every request can wear you out. It can get to the point that we give too much and find we have nothing left for ourselves and our families. We can end up using all our energy, and if we don’t refuel, it can lead to burnout and mistakes. That doesn’t help anyone.
In our work — whether it’s paid or voluntary — a lot of people are asking for our time, but there’s only so much of that time to go around. Many of us want to help whenever we can. We’re basically people pleasers.
We sincerely want to be of service whenever we can. We want to say “yes.”
But there must be a limit. While you should put thought into every opportunity you eventually walk away from, there are certainly times when you’re better off turning something down. If you find yourself overbooked and overwhelmed, it might be time to use start saying “no.”
We need to make a distinction between pleasing others and true service. Saying “yes” just to be a good guy can turn any project into a chore and dreaded obligation. That doesn’t mean you need to become a naysayer, either.
Say “yes” to things that matter to you. Say “yes” to things that will bring you some joy in giving. And if we can learn to say “no” more effectively, then our “yes” becomes more valuable.
Ultimately, it’s your life. Make choices that are going to be the best for you and your well-being.
To our chamber volunteers, board directors and membership, we appreciate every one of your “yeses.” Those make the chamber and our community thrive. We promise we won’t take advantage of your good nature.
You don’t want to be on the Chamber Cup Classic golf committee? Okay. We have positions available in the Mini-Relay for Life group. If becoming an ambassador sounds like your thing, join and you’ll get to meet new people and possibly a potential customer.
Bottom line, at the chamber we thank you in advance for your authentic “yes.” We recognize the value your time and how valuable you are to our success.
