This One Little Word Can Change Everything for a Business

If you're a people person, you probably oblige when someone asks you for something.

But there's such a thing as being a bit too passive and accepting.

You can end up with way too much on your plate.

You can end up in a situation where you're not really happy.

There's one little word that can make a massive difference for you and your business:

“No.”

It's okay to say “no” sometimes — both to other people, and to yourself.

When someone asks you to handle a task and your plate's already full, it's okay to turn them down.

When you're in a job that you really hate, it's okay to say “no” to that job, quit, and find something better.

Learning to say “no” can get rid of barriers that are stopping you from reaching your true life goals.

In a recent article from Entrepreneur, the author explains his own experience of learning to say “no.”

A business that I absolutely hated.

I had a service business in the vendor industry for 12 years and hated it. I felt stuck and believed that someone like me — a high school dropout — couldn’t do better.

In 2011, I said “no” more and worked hard for four years to make my dream of being a global lifestyle entrepreneur a reality.

I now wake up loving what I get to do for work and traveling the world. Saying no led to happier days.

Situations that I knew would make me angry.

There are things in life that you know you don’t want to do. For years, I just rolled with it.

I went to gatherings and hung out with people who I knew would make me angry.

I got on “get-to-know-you” calls with entrepreneurs who were all talk and no action.

I entered into collaborations with business owners that weren't serious.

When I said enough and stopped, it felt like a weight was lifted off of my shoulders. It freed my mind and business and helped me focus.

You can learn more about the power of saying “no” over at Entrepreneur.