I once worked with an employee—let’s call him Mark—who was drowning in work.
Every time his boss asked, “Can you handle this?” his answer was always the same:
“Yes, sure.”
At first, Mark seemed like the perfect team player—always available, always willing. But over time, cracks started to show.
Deadlines were missed. Work quality dropped. He was constantly stressed, juggling too many tasks, yet excelling in none.
One day, after another late night at the office, he sighed, “I don’t get it. I work harder than anyone, but I feel stuck. No recognition. No growth. No promotion.”
I asked, “What’s your best work?”
He looked at me, confused. “What do you mean?”
I leaned in. “Of all the tasks you’ve taken on, which one do you excel at? Which one makes the biggest impact?”
He hesitated. “I… I don’t know. I just try to get everything done.”
That was the problem.
Mark wasn’t focused on excellence—he was drowning in mediocrity. He said yes to everything, which meant he never had the time, energy, or focus to master anything.
If you want to be truly valuable, you must learn this:
↳ Not every opportunity is an obligation. Just because someone asks doesn’t mean you have to say yes. Your time and skills deserve better.
↳ Prioritize depth over breadth. High performers don’t try to do everything—they focus on what they do best. They refine, improve, and deliver exceptional results in their zone of genius.
↳ Use strategic “nos” to protect your excellence. Instead of stretching yourself thin, be intentional with your commitments:
✔️ “I’d love to help, but I need to focus on delivering high-quality work on my current projects.”
✔️ “Let’s discuss which priorities matter most so I can give them the attention they deserve.”
✔️ “I can support in a limited capacity, but to do this well, I’d need to shift some responsibilities.”
↳ Understand that saying no is a leadership skill. The most respected professionals aren’t the ones who say yes to everything. They’re the ones who commit fully to what truly matters.
Excellence isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing the right things, exceptionally well.
So if you’ve been saying yes to everything, pause. Ask yourself: Is this moving me toward mastery, or is it pulling me in too many directions?
Because every yes to the wrong thing is a no to the right one.
♻️ Repost if you believe saying no is a path to excellence, and follow Jef Menguin for more leadership insights.
