Darren Hardy “The Master Skill of Success is No.”

I was reading a book last week.

The author invited some of the world’s most creative people to participate in a study on discovering the secrets of the creative process.

One of the individuals he invited was Peter Drucker, the author of 39 books on business management.

Here’s Mr. Drucker’s response:

“… I will hope you will not think me presumptuous or rude if I say what one of the secrets of productivity (in which I believe whereas I do not believe in creativity) is to have a VERY BIG waste paper basket to take care of ALL invitations such as yours — productivity in my experience consists of NOT doing anything that helps the work of other people but to spend all one’s time on the work the Good Lord has fitted one to do, and to do well.”

If you’ve ever wondered how someone can write 39 books over the course of their lifetime, Peter Drucker just summed it up.

He had no problem saying no.

While never “doing anything that helps the work of other people” may be a bit overboard, you can see where he’s coming from.

Since none of us can add more hours to the day, the only way to create more time for the things that move you toward your goals is to make a habit of saying no.

Hey, want to meet up for lunch later?

Nope.

Hey, want to write a guest post for my blog?

Nope.

Hey, want to play a round of golf (for 4 hours and 30 minutes) this Tuesday at noon?

Hellllll to the nope.

If you’re always complaining about how you don’t have time for the things that really matter, it helps to stop saying yes to the things that don’t.

I’m not saying that people don’t matter. What I am saying is that an impromptu lunch date or that half-day round of golf can wait till the weekend. There’s a time and a place for almost everything.

Meanwhile, writing a guest post on your friend’s blog that gets 57 visitors a month is a hard no. This one goes in your VERY BIG waste basket of NOPE.

Today on the podcast, Darren Hardy gives one of my favorite talks of the year on how the secret of being successful is the ability to say no.

Source: INSANE PRODUCTIVITY Darren Hardy

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