I introduced you to the first little snippet of The Best Yes when I was having a hard time deciding between a yes or no response this summer.
As I’ve decided to pull back from the swirling requests for commitments and dug even further into The Best Yes, it struck me that this would be a perfect book for us to study for leadership Tuesdays for the remainder of the year. Sometimes it’s hard to see how saying no positions you to become a more effective leader, but strategic nos position you to have room for spectacular opportunity yeses.
We have TEN Tuesdays left between today and the end of 2014. What if, instead of waiting until January 1st, we outlined a plan now to tackle 2015? What if we took the next ten Tuesdays to connect with one another and decide what we have room for in our life, what needs eliminating, and how to prioritize what we will say yes to in 2015?
I have always struggled with no. No, to me, felt like I was missing out on a potential opportunity or adventure. “No, I can’t attend your party,” meant I would miss out on the fun of being with friends even if it took me away from something more important. “No, I can’t lead that committee,” meant that I might forego an experience that would be valuable later on. I failed to realize that saying yes to an invitation or adventure did mean I was saying no to something else – my family, my job, my health, my priorities.
Well Lysa TerKeurst, who wrote The Best Yes, understands:
I struggle with decisions too. I don’t want to miss out on opportunities, mess up relationships by disappointing people, or misstep out of God’s will. I struggle with keeping some sense of balance in my life. I struggle with worrying about what others think of my decisions. I struggle with feeling like I can’t quite figure out how other women seem to do it all… Chapter 1
I invite you to walk with me for the remaining Tuesdays in 2014 as we read and discuss two chapters each week. Chapter 1 is just a five page introduction, so next Tuesday we’ll cover Chapters 2 – 3, and the following week 4-5, and so forth. I’d love for you to comment each Tuesday on what you’re learning so we can share how we are learning to “make wise decisions in the midst of endless demands.”
And today I’m giving away a copy of The Best Yes! If you don’t have a copy, just leave a comment on the blog and one reader will be picked (with Amazon Prime – you’ll have it in time to get ready for next Tuesday!).
I quoted this when I read the first chapter this summer, but it rings so true I don’t want you to miss it: “In this great day when most women wave banners of authenticity about our pasts, we crouch back from honesty about our presents. We’ll tell you about our broken places of yesterday but don’t dare admit the limitations of our today. All the while the acid of overactivity eats holes in our souls.”
Let’s be brave enough to admit the limitations of our today so that we don’t mistake counterfeit yeses for The Best Yes. {===>Click to Tweet}