Sometimes the gap between where you are and where you want to be is just one “yes” wide.
We’re not talking about saying yes to everything. (That’s a fast track to exhaustion.) We’re talking about saying yes on purpose—to things that open up your world, connect you to possibility, or put you in the orbit of people who think the way you want to think.
Saying yes can be risky. It asks you to go where you haven’t gone before. But it also changes your trajectory. And sometimes, it changes how you see yourself.
Want to build a business? Initiate a lunch invite, and say yes to anyone five years ahead of you. Want to grow your influence? Say yes to events nearby that collect people who hire people like you. Want stronger relationships? Say yes to Friday night plans, even if you’re tired. (Especially if you’re tired.)
If your goals are real, your “yeses” have to be real too.
Here’s a quick story from our own lives. When we moved to Asheville nearly a decade ago, we didn’t know any people there – at all – None! So we made a pact: say yes to every social invitation. For two years, we said yes to neighborhood potlucks, backyard bonfires, improv shows, trivia nights, meetups at breweries. It didn’t always lead to
new best friends. But it did expand our web of connections—and laid the foundation for real community, the kind we lean on now as business owners.
More recently, we’ve learned that the right yes at work can do the same thing. The right networking group—where we’re in the room with people doing the level of work we aspire to—doesn’t just feel good. It actually changes how others perceive us. And how we perceive ourselves.
Here’s the big idea:
You don’t always know what a yes will unlock. But if it’s aligned with your goals, your values, or your growth—it’s probably worth the stretch.
So maybe now is the right time to ask:
What’s the “yes” you’ve been hesitating to say?
The one that feels a little scary, but also a little bit exciting?
A new collaboration.
A change.
A move.
A risk.
An opportunity.
Saying yes is how momentum begins. And momentum is how new seasons start.
What are you trying to build—and what’s one “yes” that might help you get there?