How to Know When to Say “Yes” to the Right Projects for You
As a productivity coach working with entrepreneurs, I have noticed that one of the most common roadblocks is knowing when to say “yes” to the right projects/people and “no” to the ones that end up draining your time and energy. When you commit to the right projects, every piece tends to flow easier. You have the excitement and energy to get things done. Even when things pop up, you don’t feel that same stress and struggle that comes with other projects. Everything just comes together.
Then there’s the projects that you took on that should have been a “no.” You feel resentment every time you have to dedicate time and energy to it. You run into barriers and difficult people at every turn. There’s usually a point where you question why you’re even involved.
So, how can you figure out which projects are right and which aren’t BEFORE committing? Here’s the breakdown to making your “yeses” and “nos” so much easier:
Your Core Values
Your core values are what drives how you see and respond to the world around you. They are deeply embedded in who you are and what you value. When you are first discovering your core values, it’s more of an uncovering. They have always been with you guiding your decision making. When you bring them up, define them for yourself, and make a conscious decision to focus on them, you can create and more easily maintain boundaries around what you choose to do with your time.
For example, one of my core values is creativity. For me to do my best work and be at my happiest, I need to have a creative element to my project. It could be writing a blog post or other piece of copy. It could be creating new program content or graphics. It could be designing my next digital planner. In my former professional life as a retail manager, it was getting out on the sales floor and dressing mannequins or organizing product placement. Regardless of the form it takes, my projects must allow me to have a creative component.
So, by using my core values as a filter when it comes to taking on something new, I can more easily tell if it’s a “yes” or “no.” For more on core values, check out How (& Why) To Define Your Core Values and Mission.
Your Needle-Movers
What are those key things you do that really propel you forward? If you remember from the 80/20 Rule, or Pareto Principle, 20% of what you do accounts for 80% of your results. So, by figuring out and focusing on your 20%--your needle movers--you can not only get more done with less time and energy but also know which projects align with your practices that drive results.
Say you have a blog that’s a needle-mover for you. It drives traffic to your website, increases and engages your audience, and brings in clients. If a project allowed you to expand your reach with your blog or gave you the opportunity to be a guest blogger on another high-traffic, aligned site, that might be a “yes” for you. The partnership simply amplifies what you are already focused on in your business. If instead that partnership took you away from your 20% and added something else entirely to your plate, it may be a “no.”
For more on the 80/20 Rule, check out Getting the Right Things Done with the Pareto Principle.
Your Intuition
The third piece to figuring out what projects are best for you comes from your own intuition. What was that initial instinct when you first heard about the project before your brain kicked in and started analyzing everything? When you think about that project or partnership, do you feel expansive or constricted?
Our intuition is a powerful tool that most of us have been taught not to trust. Instead, we tend to allow our logical brain to make decisions. Sometimes it works out well. Other times, we analyze our way into doing the wrong thing.
There are techniques you can use, such as muscle testing (check out this video), to tune into your intuition for answers. But, even more simply, just by asking yourself how you feel without the interference of logic can make a huge difference.
Bringing the Three Together
Now that you have clearly defined your core values and your needle-movers, you can use them as filters when making decisions about the projects, clients, and partnerships you take on. If you imagine a Venn diagram with your core values on one side and your needle-movers on the other, what are the things that fall in the overlapping section in the middle? This is what I call the sweet spot. It combines what is most important to you with the tasks that drive results. This space is where you find that creative flow, ease, and energy. Now, adding in that intuition gives you another layer of confidence and clarity when it comes to saying “yes” or “no.”
