“Hi Laura, are you in for a week of travel this Spring? Everyone’s going!”

In 2017 I said No to more things and more people than I ever thought possible, and it feels like I’m just getting warmed up.
In the space left by all that No, my private practice doubled and I completed the first section of my forthcoming book.

Here’s what I learned:

You’ve made it this far in your career based on your best efforts– along with the advice of those closest to you. So, in order to advance into your coming professional phase, you have to do things differently. You are going to have to make space in order to bring forward your next great idea.

You’re busy right now. There are some adult obligations, freely chosen, that you don’t get to say no to: your partner, your kids, your career, your health. What’s left? Everything else.

But even though you’re busy, you are in the most creative, generative phase of your career. After years of proving yourself, making a name in your field, it’s time for you to consolidate your expertise and INNOVATE.

Build something big based on what you’ve learned. Give us your 1 best idea. Help us make our lives better.

If you’re drowning in meeting churn, social media, committees, social obligations, errands, etc you might have a hard time tuning into your breakthrough concept. You might feel like I’m lying to you and that you don’t have a creative bone left in your body. Creativity is for twenty year olds and hippies.

It’s not true. We need what you are going to develop. But first you have got to stop saying yes.

Here are some cute catch phrases you can use to help fire up your No Machine:
“I’m not accepting coffee dates this quarter”
“Please don’t read anything into this, I’m attempting to implement a strategy.”
“I’m exclusively working on (XYZ) right now and I hope you’ll understand my focus.”
“Work is so demanding, I only have a bit of spare time right now and I’m using that with my partner and kids.”

and my favorite:
“Sorry, No.”

TL;DR For those of us with female socialization there is an added pressure to keep up social expectations of serving and pleasing. Which is why when I first posted about this concept on facebook I suggested this alternative title for this post: “An exploration of forgoing social gender expectations and letting the chips fall where they fucking may.”

No matter what your social identities, making room for your adult creative process allows you to come out swinging. Allows you to surprise yourself even. Take the risk, let the chips scatter.

Laura Close coaches founders and professionals on executive presence and advancement techniques and occasionally reminds parents that saying no to excessive obligations makes you more chill at home with your kids and partner. To connect with Laura for online or in person sessions, please use this link.

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