Deep Dive Series: The Power of Minimizing the Fear of No
By Tana M. Mann Easton, Lead Efficiency Engineer
When we make a request and receive a no, that denial can feel physically painful. That pain can cause many of us to limit requests that could be denied simply because we don’t want to risk feeling that pain of rejection.
It’s amazing how much power we allow a two-letter word to have in our lives. How many people never pursued a passionate dream in their lives simply because they feared the sound of an “n” followed by a long “o” sound escaping the lips of someone else. The word no doesn’t have to carry that kind of sting. We can respect the word no and not fear it at the same time.
If you’re afraid to hear no, try this exercise. Find a willing partner and set an alarm for 4 minutes. For 4 minutes one of you begs the other to say yes in every way you possibly can, and the other partner says no in every way they possibly can. At the end of 4 minutes, you switch. Do this exercise as many times as it takes for you to know that hearing no won’t kill you (or anyone you choose to say it to).
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Sincerely Yours,
Focus to Evolve Team