As entrepreneurs, creatives, and hustlers, we’re in the business of manifesting and creating opportunities in ways that are foreign to a lot of people living in the “traditional” sense. Not that there is anything wrong with their way of living, it’s just different.
Our creativity and need to manifest our own path is our lifeblood and how we’re able to continue living an amazing life of freedom and service to our audience.
But it doesn’t come without its fair share of frustrations and challenges, mostly due to lack of drawing a line in the sand or managing expectations and boundaries.
Basically, it comes down to our ability to say… NO.
NO is the most powerful word out there.
Say it with me out-loud… “NO!”
Do you want to work on a project that doesn’t align with your brand’s core values? NO! Sanity, reputation, and excitement to work on your next project is something that cannot be compromised.
Have you ever heard this question before… “Do you have time for me to pick your brain for 1 hour?”
NO! Because if we give everyone the time that wants to pick our brain for 1 hour, half our week would be gone. Time is valuable and if people really want your expert opinion on something, they need to understand the monetary value of your time and honor that price.
Do you want to drink tequila at 2 pm in the afternoon because your friends have a ‘day off’? NO!
I have my hustle list filled out and to-dos in order.
I’m not saying don’t give people your free time, but pick and choose who you give that time to. Not everyone is ready for your expertise. Not everyone that asks for your time for free is ready to hear what you have to say. They might not be ready to receive the information you give them.
Vet your listener, for those who aren’t ready to receive your expert advice, refer them to a free resource until they’re ready.
Saying NO goes beyond just a professional setting, it should also be used in a personal setting, although those lines are blurred more and more every day, when it comes to family, friends, acquaintances, and those busybodies that seem to run our lives, we must learn to navigate those waters and make it work for us, not them.
What I’ve learned in the past few years, that while so many people in my life have good intentions, they often don’t understand the way I operate and work.
They don’t understand the boundaries I’ve set forth. I know this because they say things like “well, you work from home” or “since you don’t work in an office”… Understand this, working from a laptop consulting brands and entrepreneurs is how we make money, but it’s a grind and takes focus and a deep understanding of our own flow.
And that’s sacred.
Let’s be real… We’re creatives and go-getters. We’re doers, dreamers, and addicted to progress, so when someone in our circle reaches out and wants immediate advice at that exact moment, it disrupts our flow, and that’s not okay.
For so many of us, this is one of the most difficult parts of our day.
In our constant pursuit of being better every day and providing value, we want to say YES to everything and be that ultimate resource. But by doing so, we lose our own ability to manage expectations, boundaries and show people that our time is worth less than it actually is.
And to that, I say NO!
