Then it is a NO.
I often encourage my clients to read Essentialism: The Discipling Pursuit of Less but Greg McKeown. Because the book has been so meaningful to me and I believe its simple message can be so powerful for my clients, I think it is a valuable read before launching a coaching relationship.
McKeown artfully makes the case that our lives are richer by pursuing one or two primary pursuits rather than chasing every shiny object. Narrower but deeper. To ensure that the client fully absorbs the message, I ask them to submit a one-page summary of their key takeaways. We then discuss those concepts and use them in our coaching sessions.
Recently, instead of a one-page summary, I got a four-page outline of the book.
“Hey, while I can see that you read through the entire book and then captured your notes, I want you to undertake the discipline of boiling down the most compelling points into one page,” I told this client.
A week later, we were reviewing the single page (small font with narrow margins) on the phone. “It was a hard assignment because there is a lot of really good material in the book,” he said.
I agreed with him but pressed further.
“Come on,” I said. “Let’s see if you can boil it down to just one key takeaway. Something that can serve as a mantra for you.”
Long pause.
“IF IT IS NOT A STRONG YES, THEN IT IS A NO.”
Perfect. This new mantra would force him to define the two to three essential pursuits that would take precedence over all others. He had his mantra, and I adopted it. I ask it of myself several times a day.
I’m sure many ideas, opportunities, requests, invitations, and advertisements invade your mind every day. You know you can’t pursue them all, but without a mantra, you might be tempted to try. The next time you are confronted with an impulse, take a minute to ask yourself, “Is this a strong YES?”
If not, you know what to do. Remember your essentials. Say no.
THE FUTURE IS NOW!
