Dare To Say ‘Yes!’ More Often

You may remember the 2008 Jim Carrey movie, Yes Man. In it, Carrey’s character has to say yes to every question and opportunity that comes his way, leading to the expected comedic shenanigans.

We can learn something from Yes Man. Not about comedic shenanigans, but about saying yes to new opportunities and doing so more often. Of course, not to the crazy degree Carrey does. But enough to make us uncomfortable and get us outside of our comfort zones.

Why do we need to get uncomfortable and outside of our comfort zones? Because that’s the only way to face and overcome the fear of failure.

Fear Of Failure Is The Enemy

And the fear of failure is one of the biggest things that hold people back from pursuing their goals and dreams. It’s the enemy of our success, and of our happiness.

Yes is our best weapon against this enemy.

When you are presented with a great opportunity that feels right, say yes to it before crotchety old Fear kicks in to tell you all the reasons why it’s too risky, it’s not the right time, or whatever else (fear has lots of tricks to make you avoid new opportunities).

Will it be scary? Probably. But often fear and excitement are all a matter of perspective. Think about telling ghost stories as a kid, or going on rollercoasters.

What if you don’t feel ready for the opportunity? Remind yourself that we almost never feel entirely ready for them and take the advice of Richard Branson:

“If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but you are not sure you can do it, say yes – then learn how to do it later!”

And here’s the big one . . . what if you do fail? Maybe you will. But you’ll never know unless you try. Plus, failing is how we learn and improve. If you’re not failing, you’re not growing. THAT’S what you should really be afraid of.

Dare To Say Yes

So dare to say yes to new things, more often. If you’re the kind of person who rarely does that or who’s stuck in your ways, start by looking for small ways to say yes to new things.

Here’s a few little inspirations to get you thinking:

• Eat something you’ve never eaten before.
• If you only read fiction, read a biography.
• If you only read non-fiction, read a mystery.
• Go treasure hunting at a second-hand shop.
• Go to a toy store and actually buy yourself a toy (When was the last time you did that?).
• Pick a random radio station and listen to it and nothing else all day, no matter what kind of station it is.
• On your daily drive/ride/jog/walk at that intersection where you always turn left, turn right.
• On your daily drive/ride/jog/walk at that intersection where you always turn right, turn left.
• Ask a trusted friend or family member to plan a day for both of you that will push you outside of your comfort zone, but which s/he also thinks you’ll be glad about in the end.

Listen to your intuition and instinct when it prompts you to try something new. Just try to be more experimental, and even playful in your choices.

Welcome bigger and bigger opportunities by saying yes to life more and more often. You’ll be surprised by what you can do when you give yourself permission to try new things and to take more chances. You’ll grow in confidence in both yourself and the world, for starters. And that confidence will help you become more successful in life. Plus . . . saying yes just makes life much more fun!

Share Your Yes! Story

In the comment section below share your favorite or most recent story of daring to say Yes! to an opportunity life handed you. How did you feel? How did it turn out? What did you learn?

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Originally published on GoalRebel.com.