The Courage to Say No

Casting the vision is the easy part.
Big words. Bold dreams. Applause.

But then comes Tuesday.
Then comes complexity.
Then come the good ideas.

Not the bad ones—those are easy to spot.
Easy to decline.

The real test is this:

Can you say no to something smart?
Something profitable? Something popular?

Can you look someone important in the eye—and turn down an opportunity that would look great on paper but pull you off course?

You see—vision doesn’t vanish.
It drifts.

One well-meaning yes at a time.

Not because we were weak.
Because we were reasonable.

Saying no can feel arrogant.
Wasteful. Risky.
Like you’re leaving something on the table.

But sometimes, that’s the job.

Leadership isn’t always about what you welcome in.
It’s often about what you keep out.

And having the courage to say:
Not this.
Not now.
Not for us.