Your life will be defined as much by your no’s as your yes’.
No matter who you are, it is critical that you learn to say, “No.” As life fills up and schedules become busy, this becomes more and more important. I don’t know a single leader who has “Extra time” and is looking for more things to do. Instead, many are over-extended and exhausted.
Try this simple exercise. The next time someone asks you if you can do something (no matter how small, no matter how exciting it sounds), do not say, “Yes.” Force yourself to not respond, “Sure, sounds great! I’m in.”
Simply say, “Please give me a few days to think about it,” or, “I need a week to pray about that.”
Here is the truth. If you say yes to this opportunity, you will have to drop something out of your schedule (time with a child, sleep, exercise, or time with Jesus). Something will have to go to make room for this new thing. So, slow down, take time, pray, identify what you will drop to make room for this, and then decide. If you say yes, you will do so in a wise and informed way. If you say no, you will do it with thoughtful conviction.