I’ve been reading a great new book, Come to Win, by tennis star Venus Williams. In it, she compiles essays from an eclectic group of the world’s most successful people—from former presidents to top fashion designers to star athletes—about the underlying principles that fuel their success. One of my favorite contributions is by British entrepreneur and Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson who said:
“The main thing I’ve learned from all this is that there’s much more fun in saying yes than in saying no. My nickname on my board at Virgin Group is Dr. Yes. I love to say yes. I think if you’re lucky enough and have the wish to push yourself to the limit, then what a waste to say no.”
With his upbeat attitude and penchant for growth, Branson built his Virgin Group into one of the world’s top brands, with approximately more than 300 companies in over 30 countries that include leisure, travel, tourism, TV, radio, music, finance and health. Imagine the success we could all have if we embraced the word yes!
Yes is powerful.
And just to clarify, I don’t mean the yes we say when we really mean no. The insincere yes isn’t a real yes—it’s a no in disguise. Basically when we say yes when we don’t mean it, we’re saying no to our authentic selves, silencing our inner voices that speak our truths. The inauthentic yeses cut ourselves off from who we really are and drains our energy.
The type of yes I’m talking about—and if I may be so bold, the yes that Branson referred to—is the yes that invites in a new experience, that allows us to embrace an opportunity that will facilitate growth from where we currently stand. The authentic yes invigorates, energizes, and empowers.
What can you say yes to today?
Just say yes.
For too many years of my life, I said no. No to new relationships. No to new experiences. No to stepping outside my comfort zone. Even though I’ve made tremendous progress in the past few years, I still have a list of outstanding accomplishments that require a yes from me to complete.
Branson’s essay inspired me. Today I am practicing saying yes. Yes to finishing the novel I started last year. Yes to learning new technologies that will further my career. Yes to taking my commit to health to the next level. As a reminder, I put a sticky note on my monitor that says:
It’s more fun to say yes.
We all have dreams and most of us make excuses for not pursuing them. I encourage you to start saying yes to the experiences that will lead you closer to who and where you want to be. And I encourage you to join me outside the comfort zone through the simple power of yes.
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