Here’s what I’m doing in July and August. Apart from writing the book version of Eight Irresistible Principles of Fun. And enjoying the summer. I’m going to watch a talk from TED every day.

Here’s an example of why - Amy Tan talking about creativity and its sources.

It’s funny, self-deprecating and covers everything from Quantum Mechanics to genocide. And along the way, it throws some new insights onto the role of discomfort and ambiguity in the role of creativity. 18 minutes well spent.

As I talk to people about doing Great Work, I’m always challenging them to think about the Good Work (and the Bad Work) that fills up most of our days.

There’s nothing wrong with Good Work. But until you start saying No to Good Work, it’s difficult to get more Great Work into your life.

Seth Godin’s got his own take on this. In one of his recent blog posts, he asks:

Are you better at what you do than you were a month or two ago?

…

Does that mindless stuff you do at work when the boss isn’t looking (or all those meetings you go to are all those emails you answer) make you better or just pass the time?

Good question.

What if you started the day asking: What will make me better today? And what will I do to ensure I experience that?

The Great Work dilemma

Here’s the challenge. You want to do more Great Work. But you have an endless amount of Good Work that keeps flowing down the pipeline and taking up your time and space and energy.

And you know this crucial insight: The only way you can get more Great Work into your life is by saying No to some of your Good Work.

You can already feel you body tense up as you read that sentence. Because let’s face it: saying a blunt No is rarely an accepted way of doing business in most organizations.

So what’s a person to do?

Who *can* you say No to?

It’s not that the word No is truly verboten. In fact, there are two groups of people for whom saying a direct No is more acceptable.

The first is those with whom you have a close and trusted relationship (friends and family come to mind.)

And the second is those with whom you have no relationship (anyone struggle to say No to telemarketers?)

The challenge of course, is that most of the people we work with - the boss, our peers, our customers, our suppliers - don’t fall into either of those categories. They’re in the messy middle, where a direct No would be difficult and quite likely culturally unacceptable.

So how do you say No when you’re not allowed to say No?

Here’s the secret.

Don’t think about it as saying No.

Think about it as saying Yes more slowly.

That’s worth repeating: It’s not about saying No. It’s about saying Yes more slowly.

If you can delay the Yes, there’s a chance that the focus will shift, the spotlight will move and the work won’t end up on your plate. Or at the very least, you’ll be clearer about why you’ve said Yes to this work in the first place.

(If you need reminding, you can read last month’s article about Stillness and just why and how 90% of managers end up doing “busy work” here)

Three ways to say Yes slowly

1. Set yourself a delayed response time.

It’s not about how fast you get back, but how slowly.

At least 5 breaths. Or at least 5 minutes. Or at least 24 hours.

Don’t assume you have to hit “reply” (literally or metaphorically) right away. Become aware of your response time and slow it down.

2. Ask at least three questions.

Here are some you might try.

“Why have you chosen me?”

“What exactly do you need me to do?”

“What would success look like?”

“By when does this need to be completed?”

“How much time and additional resources will I need to do this?”

“Who else did you consider to do this?”

“If I say Yes to this, what should I stop doing?”

“Out of this whole request, what’s the ‘must get done’ and what’s the ‘nice if it got done’?”

“How does this fit with our team’s/organization’s goals for the week/month/quarter/year?”

The good news: quite often the requester won’t know the answer to these - and will say “I’ll get back to you on this.” Or will shrink the original request down.

3. Build your delegation database.

If you provide an alternative or two, you provide another channel for the requester to take.

Remember, you can suggest others more appropriate for certain parts of the project while saying Yes to a part that you’ll take on. Not having to do the whole thing yourself - that’s still a win for you.

Consider:
- People within the organization
- People outside the organization
- Ways of getting it done automatically

Don’t take my word for it

Smart folk thinking out loud about the power of saying no.

“A ‘No’ uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a ‘Yes’ merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble.”
-Mahatma Gandhi, Indian political and spiritual leader

“What is a rebel? A man who says no.”
-Albert Camus, French author

“It comes from saying no to 1,000 things to make sure we don’t get on the wrong track or try to do too much.”
-Steve Jobs, American entrepreneur

“Learn to say No to the good so you can say Yes to the best.”
-John C Maxwell, American author

“The art of leadership is saying no. It is very easy to say yes.”
-Tony Blair, British statesman

“Yes and no are the oldest and simplest words, but they require the most thought.”
-Pythagoras, Greek mathematician and philosopher

“I only have ‘yes’ men around me, who needs ‘no’ men?”
Mae West, American actress

Add your own favourites here

If I could recommend just one additional resource

In Praise of Slow, Carl Honore. This book isn’t really about saying No. But it helped me think about the
pace of my own life and, by implication, what I was saying Yes to. There’s
even a chapter on “Work: The Benefits of Working Less Hard.”

And now, do something

(Because if you don’t act on this now it will just become TBU: True But Useless)

Scan your work week.

What’s one hour (yes, just one hour) of work that you’d like to say No to?

It’s likely to be what you’d call Bad Work, or perhaps at the bottom end of your Good Work list.

It might be a meeting. A report you’re re-re-re-writing. Travelling you have to do.

And plan how you’re going to say No to it.

And (because I know the answer flashed into your head straight away): act on that plan now.

From our newsletter Outside the Lines - The Business Edition

Don’t take my word for it

Smart folk thinking out loud about the power of saying no.

“A ‘No’ uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a ‘Yes’ merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble.”
-Mahatma Gandhi, Indian political and spiritual leader

“What is a rebel? A man who says no.”
-Albert Camus, French author

“It comes from saying no to 1,000 things to make sure we don’t get on the wrong track or try to do too much.”
-Steve Jobs, American entrepreneur

“Learn to say No to the good so you can say Yes to the best.”
-John C Maxwell, American author

“The art of leadership is saying no. It is very easy to say yes.”
-Tony Blair, British statesman

“Yes and no are the oldest and simplest words, but they require the most thought.”
-Pythagoras, Greek mathematician and philosopher

“I only have ‘yes’ men around me, who needs ‘no’ men?”
-Mae West, American actress

“Look wise, say nothing, and grunt. Speech was given to conceal thought.”
-Sir William Osler, Canadian physician

Prepublication special: Find Your Great Work

My latest book is a practical collection of tools and techniques to help manager and leaders find more Great Work.

It contains 12 fast, practical and highly usable techniques to help you figure out what your Great Work might be - and to go and find it.

Each one of these maps passes “the cocktail napkin test” - that is, you need no more than a pen, some paper and five minutes to make a difference. Each map will help you get a new perspective on what’s going on - and inspire you take a next step toward Great Work.

Some of the questions you’ll get answers to include:
- #2: Who’s Great?
- #5: What’s your motivation?
- #8: How might this end?
- #10: How courageous will you be?

We’re working with a designer right now to get it ready for publication - with our target publication date July 4th (Box of Crayons’ birthday).

You can register now for prepublication specials here. Absolutely NO obligation to do or buy anything. You’ll just get the chance to get the best deals of the book.

In short: No downside. All upside.

Want to Find Your Great Work? Register here.

I’ve fairly recently discovered The Cat Empire, an Australian band that brings together a fabulous brassy-jazzy-funky-ska sound with lyrics that are full of the celebration of life. Pretty damn fabulous.

Here’s one of my favourite lines from The Chariot…

We never yielded to conformity
But stood like kings
On a chariot
That’s riding on a record wheel

Hmmm… somehow it loses something in translation

So you’ll just have to watch this video to get a sense of the fun they’re up to.

(And this is a beauty too).

And heck - while you’re at it, watch this…

Right then. I’m off to dance

From our newsletter Outside the Lines

“Since death is certain…

I’ve had three recent reminders of death, both unexpected and expected…

Pompeii is a town frozen in time. Mt Vesuvius erupted almost 2000 years ago and covered it in volcanic ash. Last week, in between enjoying Sorrentine pizza, Caprese salad and generally “carpe diem-ing”, I got to wander around the site.

Amongst roofless houses and faded murals I came across plaster casts of figures, frozen in the suddenness of their death.

I found this stunning set of photos of people just before and after their death, with their brave and poignant reflections.

And today as I write this, it’s 40 years since Dr Martin Luther King was assassinated as he stood on the balcony of the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee.

“… and the time of death is uncertain…”

Thomas Hardy said that while we celebrate our birthdays every year, another date passes by without recognition: the anniversary of our death. I’ve been wondering what would be different if we knew that date, if we knew when we would die.

Perhaps it would make no difference at all - this article makes for stunning reading about how difficult it is to change even in the face of death.

But what I’d hope is that it would keep the call to do Great Work more urgent, more front of mind … and to help focus the answer to the question: “What’s the most important thing?”

“…what is the most important thing?

“What’s the most important thing”… this is one of the great coaching questions. And I’ll get back to it.

Because before I can get there, I need to get my head around Time.

(Death. Time. Clearly this is one of those Big Issues newsletters).

In The Clock of the Long Now: Time and Responsibility, Stewart Brand talks about two different types of time: Kairos (opportunity or the propitious moment) and Chronos (eternal or ongoing time). “Kairos,” Brand says, “is the time of cleverness, chronos the time of wisdom.” Part of the perspective of the Long Now is a move beyond just “now” (”this week, slightly haunted by the ghost of last week”) and the Long Now (10,000 years forward and 10,000 years back from where we stand today). You can see what they mean here.

That shift in thinking about what’s my span of time influences my answer to “What’s the most important thing”. Look at the four questions below and see if your answers shift at all:

Thinking about today, what’s the most important thing?

Thinking about the next twelve months, what’s the most important thing for you to do today?

Thinking about the next decade, what’s the most important thing for you to do today?

Thinking about the next hundred years, what’s the most important thing to do today?

So can you cheat death? Well, probably not. And even if you could, you might face the miserable existence of the Strulbrugs in Gulliver’s Travels, beings with immortality but without eternal youth. But you can use the reminder of death to sweeten your life today.

Spark Action!

1. Answer this: If you had 10 years left and $20 million dollars, what would you do? And what would you stop doing?

(I’ve borrowed this question from this article by Jim Collins. You can see my answer and post your own here

2. Read this article on the Manifesto of Insignificance, and let me know what you’d add by leaving a comment on the blog.

3. Decide What’s the most important thing for you today.

Don’t take my word for it

Smart folks thinking out loud about death.

“Since death is certain and the time of death is uncertain, what is the most important thing?”
- Pema Chodron, Buddhist nun

“Cast a cold eye
On life, on death.
Horseman, pass by!
-Y.B. Yeats, Irish poet

“Don’t be afraid of death so much as an inadequate life.”
- Bertholt Brecht, German playwright

“When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice.”
- source unknown (attributed to both ancient Sanskrit and Native American saying)

“Death and life have their determined appointments; riches and honours depend upon heaven.”
- Confucius, Chinese philosopher

“Death is caused by swallowing small amounts of saliva over a long period of time.”
- George Carlin, American comedian

“Birth was the death of him.”
- Samuel Beckett, Irish author

“I got well by talking. Death could not get a word in edgewise, grew discouraged, and traveled on.”
- Louise Erdrich, Native American author

Imagine you received two phone calls this morning. With the first, you found out you’d inherited 20 million dollars, no strings attached. With the second, you found out you had just 10 years left to live.

What would you start doing? And, as importantly, what would you stop doing?

(Jim Collins first framed this question in this article)

Here’s my answer:

I’d still work in this general area, “spreading the possibility virus” and seek to help people and organizations create better possibilities and take responsibility for their choices

I’d produce a lot more stuff - books, movies, articles - without worrying about the financial payback

I’d figure out how the work I can do might touch the 4 billion+ people on the planet who don’t have access to water, peace, technology

I’d be a lot fussier about the work I actually did, and find brilliant people to do the others parts that are necessary

I’d be bolder about approaching people of influence and asking for their help

What’s your answer? (Feel free to post in the comment section below.)

And now the questions is this: so what? Odds are you don’t have 20 million bucks and quite possibly you’ve got longer than 10 years to live.

But what do you want to do differently now, today, now that you’re clearer on what your Great Work might be?

(I can’t but help notice that for my list, the money/time thing is largely irrelevant … most of that list I can start doing today.)

From Gus - The Possibility Hunter

Thanks to Edward Mills of Evolving Times for getting me enthusiastic about Earth Hour. I switched off the lights of my house on March 29 (only 13 minutes late). If you haven’t found the Evolving Times Blog you should definitely check it out.

So, that’s one small step for the earth’s environment, but what of your personal environment? Couldn’t you use a “[Your name] Hour”?

Last week I was privileged to receive a lunch invitation to a private dining room featuring full length panoramic views and its own facilities at the High Court of Australia. But I wasn’t meeting a high-profile lawyer or judge, just one proud granny (Mum) wanting to show off her grandkids to another granny.

Why would a couple of suburban retirees be honored with such prestigious surrounds? Actually, they stumbled on the empty space, moved in, rearranged the furniture and advised the staff to start bringing chardonnay. They simply reorganised the environment to suit themselves.

Someone organised Earth Hour for the planet. Mum organised herself some lunchtime opulence. What possibilities can you create with a little reorganization of your environment?

By the way, if you didn’t have Edward Mills to remind you and you missed Earth Hour, or you want to continue to save the planet check out Earth Hour’s tips for better daily living here.

From Gus - The Possibility Hunter

Empty your mind. Be formless. Shapeless. Like water. You put water in a bottle it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot it becomes… the teapot. Water can flow, or it can crash.

No, those words aren’t Confucius’ words, they were the words of Bruce Lee. Bruce Lee: Kung Fu master, movie star, one of only seven men in history who looks good in a jump suit.
So, what is not cool about Bruce Lee? Who wouldn’t want to be a little bit like Bruce Lee?

But don’t fall into the old trap of donning a yellow jump suit and a picking a fight with Kareem Abdul Jabbar. What you want is a little of ‘the essence of Bruce’. The Positivity Blog brings you Bruce Lee’s Top 7 Fundamentals for Getting Your Life in Shape, to help us all get a little Bruceness.

While you’re at The Positivity Blog you should check out some of the other excellent posts. My personal (recent) favourites include “5 Kick-Ass Reasons to Give a Genuine Compliment, and How to Do It” (Why don’t you try it out on the next page you love when stumbling around around the ‘net) or “Picasso’s Top 7 Tips for Creating an Exciting Life” (why don’t you try it out while you’re alive).

Anyway, back to Bruce for the final word: Be water, my friends.