Don't say Yes when you want to say NO.

How many times it has happened that we want to do something but are unable to do it because we cannot say no. Take an example. You come fresh from your game of cricket, shower and decide to sit down and study. Just then your friend pops in and suggests that you go for a movie with him. You don’t really want to go as you have already decided to sit down and study. But finally you succumb to his insistence. You go for a movie. Three precious hours are lost. Not only that, after the movie you guys decide to eat at the McDonalds. So it is good bye to studies. Only because you couldn’t say no.

Somewhere in the mid seventies, a book simply titled “ Don’t say yes when you want to say No” was published.” The book co-authored by Dr. Herbert Fensterheim and Jean. L . Baer was an instant best seller.  The book is now almost thirty years old. Yet it finds resonance even today.  The reason for its popularity was perhaps that it conveyed a very important message in a very simple way. 

Peer pressure has robbed us of our capacity to THINK for ourselves. We allow ourselves to go against our own wishes only because we do not know how to say no.

It is not even difficult. Try it once. You do not have to be rude. You could smile politely and still say a firm no. Often we assume that our friend will feel bad. Quite likely he may take it sportingly and go to some other friend who is willing.

Career building  demands  self discipline and plenty of sacrifices. I will talk more about self discipline in subsequent posts. But for this time make a firm resolution to say no when you want to say no.

It is your life and you should be the sole decider.

Your life is a precious gift from your parents. You could make it or mar it. It’s your call.