5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Saying "Yes"

How often have you wished you had a magic mirror to see into the future? A mirror that helped you to make the best decisions for your business 100% of the time?

Success comes from learning to identify what opportunities to say yes to and which ones to say no to. The thing is, that's more challenging and less clear-cut than we hope.

How do you differentiate between opportunities that can help your business or 'opportunities' that will burden you more?

Easy!

You develop a system that works for you. You stay true to your vision and goals. And you create questions that help you to get clear on these things.

You get into the habit of routinely evaluating decisions by asking yourself these questions, especially when the right decision is not the easiest to identify.

A few questions have helped me make better decisions for my business.

Today, I'll share them with you.

1. Do I have the resources and time to say "yes?"

Have you ever been so swamped with work but too scared to turn down a job because it means you lose out?

Refrain from thinking about it, like losing out; it may not be worth it if something negatively affects how you can show up for your loyal customers today.

In the long run, ensure it doesn't affect your current customers or your ability to deliver quality products or services.

2. If I say yes, will it detract from more urgent tasks?

This question ties back to question one. There are some things in your business that you must do. They are non-negotiable.

If you can't find a way to accept this opportunity while still being able to complete these non-negotiable tasks, could you reconsider your yes?

Does the opportunity make sense for my business, its mission, and its vision?
If you are clear with your mission and long-term vision for your business, it will be easier to identify and accept projects that work as stepping stones to help you achieve them.

But clarity comes first.

3. Will saying 'yes' compromise your business's core values?

Does it affect the image you want to have and the way you intend to show up for the people you serve? Is it going against what you believe or stand for? Will the people you value be proud of the image it sets out?

4. What's the opportunity cost for doing this?

To have one thing, you must give up something else. What do you need to give up, or what will doing this project cause you to lose out on? Do you know if what you are preceding aligns more with your mission and vision?

Running a business is made up of a series of decisions. Could you make them wisely?

The challenge
What would you add to the five questions? Could you share the questions you ask to help you make better business decisions?

We would love to hear your questions and learn from you, too.