2026: The year of the confident "NO"

There's a good test that indicates whether or not a person, or group, is in possession of a useful strategy.

The test is simple - and it involves how confident they are in saying: "NO".

Having confidence in saying 'no' doesn't happen by chance.

For most, turning down an invitation, opportunity, an option...comes with feelings of FOMO (the fear of missing out) and uncertainty.

When there is no clear framework to facilitate good decision-making - i.e. a strategy - then evaluating proposed future paths that are randomly thrown your way becomes time-consuming and stressful.

But when you have a logically-constructed, integrated set of choices (i.e. a strategy) on hand that plausibly puts you on track to realise the future that you want, then saying "no" is easy.

• Boldly choosing not to be distracted by noise, happens with a confident "NO".
• Not wasting time going down endless rabbit holes that lure you in with grand promises, happens with a confident "NO".
• Directing all of your energy and resources at achieving the vision that you choose, happens with a confident "NO".

The confidence in the use of the word comes from doing the hard work of getting to the point of completely believing in your strategy, that allows you to be so sure that all other options besides the set that you have specifically chosen...are invalid.

Firing back a hard "NO" without a twinge of doubt takes work, but it's effort that pays back dividends that are impossible to calculate.

So make a wise investment this January and choose to theme 2026 the year that you get really good and confident at saying "NO".