Have you ever noticed how often the word "no" slips into your conversations?
This seemingly harmless word can have a profound impact on your mindset and your interactions with others.
In this discussion, uncover the hidden ways "no" can hold you back from achieving your goals.
Recently I began a discussion of such words:
Words That Matter Part 3: I Don't Like
Words That Matter Part 2: Can't
Words That Really Matter: Should
and now we’ll continue with another one:
The Power and Negative Impact of "No" & "Not"
We have a tendency to think in the negative:
“No, I don’t think we could do that.”
“Not possible.”
“No, I don’t know.”
“No.”
“No, what I think is . . .”
It is a simple truth that pain tends to be more memorable than most instances of pleasure.
The negative effect of being hit in the face with a shovel is greater than the positive effect of almost any moment of kindness. So we tend to avoid pain with greater diligence than we pursue positive conditions.
How? We say “No” to risk. We say “No” when asked if we know the answer to a question.
When the teacher of a class asks if anybody knows the answer to a question, what percentage of students raise their hand? In most cases, the number is quite small—or zero—while the rest of the class says “No” with their silence and their hands in their laps.
But “No” is infectious. It fills us with a negativity that stops our progress and often spreads to the people around us.
Replacing "No" with Positivity
We simply need to be aware of how often we use it and consider replacing it with attitudes more conducive to the accomplishments and happiness we desire:
“Sure, be happy to.”
“Yes, I see what you mean. That is a new thought to me.”
“It would be my pleasure.”
“I’ll do my best, and if I have any difficulty, I’ll ask for help.”
In future blogs we’ll discuss more words that have a much greater negative effect than we realize or intend.
