I’ve always loved watching commencement speeches. Schmidt’s talk inspired me when I saw it a few years ago. In his speech, he talks about saying yes.
This has become one of my favorite quotes. I have to re-read it from time to time to remind myself that it all starts with this tiny word.
Find a way to say yes to things. Say yes to invitations to a new country, say yes to meet new friends, say yes to learning a new language, picking up a new sport. Yes is how you get your first job, and your next job. Yes is how you find your spouse, and even your kids.
Even if is a bit edgy, a bit out of your comfort zone, saying yes means that you will do something new, meet someone new, and make a difference in your life, and likely in others’ lives as well. Yes lets you stand out in a crowd, to be the optimist, to stay positive, to be the one everyone comes to for help, for advice, or just for fun. Yes is what keeps us all young. Yes is a tiny word that can do big things. Say it often.
Do not be afraid to fail. And DO NOT be afraid to succeed.
Whenever we say no, we make the choice not to discover something new. Try something we’ve never tried before. Learn. Grow. We say no to all of those things.
So why do we say no so often? Because it feels easier. Because we’re scared. Because there is zero chance of failure when we say no.
But there is also zero chance of success. We risk missing out on an opportunity that could change our lives.
Don’t be afraid to say yes. It gets easier with time.