Our success and happiness depend on making the right decisions about how we spend our time and money.
The more success you experience, the more likely people will clamor for you to spend your time and money with them. The enemy of having great things in our lives is not bad things. Instead, the enemy of having great things is good things.
I remember a time in my life when no one would ever think of asking me for my time or money. Now, several times a day, I receive requests from well-meaning individuals and organizations to invest or donate my time, effort, or energy in their projects. Many times, these are quite good and honorable efforts, but they are not a part of my passion or life mission. I have never found a way to be in two places at the same time, and once I spend, invest, or give my money for one thing, I am, in essence, saying no to everything else, including my own highest calling.
Some of the best advice I ever received about saying no to good things, to open myself to saying yes to great things, came from Oprah Winfrey. I had just been asked to speak for an organization’s annual event, and instead of simply saying no, I told them I had a conflict on that date. They promptly changed the date of their event to accommodate my schedule, so I felt obligated to travel and give a speech in one place while I knew I should be focused elsewhere.
Oprah explained that when people ask for your time or money, they are entitled to a yes or no answer, but they are not entitled to an explanation. She said that the best way to handle a request that doesn’t further your life goals is to simply say, “No, that doesn’t work for me.”
It turns out that the best way to say yes to your goals, dreams, and destiny is to say no to everything else. As you go through your day today, define your destiny, and simply say no to everything else.
Today’s the day!
About the author: Jim Stovall is the president of the Emmy-award winning Tulsa based Narrative Television Network as well as a published author of more than 50 books—eight of which have been turned into movies. He is also a highly sought-after platform speaker. He may be reached by email at Jim@JimStovall.com.