When You Say Yes You Also Say No
On the recent webinar Making Your Money Match Your Values, Paul Richardson made the powerful statement, “Every time you say YES to one thing, you are saying NO to something else.” I found this very profound and very helpful.
Our time and resources are limited, and we are always making choices about how to use them. Â This is true in our personal lives and in our work with our marching groups. Â If I decide to spend money on one item, I am deciding not to spend money another way. Â If I take time to work on one drill move at practice, another part of the show that needs work is not getting worked on.
This may seem obvious, but I think we often make these choices without considering the larger implications. Â This is why it’s critical to have priorities and goals. Â Write these things down. Â Have a plan, know what’s important to you, then take steps to move in the right direction. Â If you don’t have a plan, then you could end up anywhere. Â Moving through life with no direction means you’ll end up with what the world thinks you deserve, and the world never thinks you deserve much at all!
Have a plan for each rehearsal, each week of the season, for each season! Â Have conversations with your staff about what is most important, either for your program long-term or for the next hour you work with your students. Â Do we focus on making great music and great sounds, or do we focus on moving and marching well? Â This answer can change with each rehearsal or even each rehearsal segment, but you need to have your priorities in mind.
Think before you say yes, because you’re removing time and attention from something else. Â If you know what’s most important and have stated goals and values, you can consider those each time you’re making a decision about how to use your time and resources. Â Then every yes is a good choice that moves you in the direction you want to go. Â You can do it!
See a YouTube conversation with Paul about this topic
Tim Hinton
May 5, 2022
