Thursday Three For All: Saying No, Your Corner of the Sphere, and Underwater Mailbox
It’s Thursday, kiddies: the day when I roll out a few things I’ve been reading over the past week. Three of ‘em, to be exact. Enjoy. (Remember: click on the big bold print to read the entire article.)
How to Say No When it Counts
(via @michaelhyatt) For good or for bad, I find myself in a “say yes” season, and this one cracked me between the eyes.
…you only have twelve hours a day to take care of business. This means culling away the drive-bys and extraneous requests that can take away from achieving your goals.
Just as importantly, some requests require you to reach way beyond your knowledge and skill set. Certainly, failure is a way of learning. But for those in need of your help, the last thing they need is for you to deliver subpar work.
Of course, this is easier said than done. By nature, we are people-pleasers and we hate to disappoint. When it comes to bosses, saying no can also be career-limiting. Saying no to your close relatives can cause discord in the family. So you will need these three important steps to help you say no—and even end up being helpful to those who make the ask.
Your Corner of the Sphere
(via @thisissethsblog) Apply this to church world. Why does any one church need to be known for everything? Champion the gospel, pick a few things that you can do to advance the gospel, and let other people take a crack at the rest.
Consider some classic, bestselling novels or memoirs. Snow Crash matters because of the ideas within. Harry Potter worked because the plot kept kids riveted. The language in Patti Smith’s Just Kids is perfect, and the characters in To Kill a Mockingbird are unforgettable. Of course, each book has the other elements in some measure, but it’s the one thing that sticks with us.
Zappos might have good prices, but it’s the service we talk about. Tom’s might have fashionable shoes, but it’s the pay it forward that resonates. And your iPhone might have good download speed, but it’s the design and fashion that we pay for.
The World’s Only Underwater Mailbox
(via @laughingsquid) Q: What kind of font do you use for a letter mailed under the sea? A: Ariel. (ARIEL. Get it? No? Moving on, then.)
photo credit: Jason Mathis
