Guest Opinion: The importance of follow-through
It was New Year’s weekend, and my social media feed was full of lovely, bright, motivational mantras. But one in particular irked me: a declaration that 2016 be “The Year of Yes.”
This poster likely was pledging to open herself up to fresh, or maybe even challenging, proposals. Maybe she just liked the sparkly font. But when I read “The Year of Yes,” I cringed and thought about how easily agreeing to everything could turn into “The Year of Flaking Out.”
The struggle to decide where we’re going to invest our time is constant. Saying no is difficult, especially when we’re attracted to an opportunity or don’t want to disappoint the person making the request. (Maybe it’s just me, but articles that offer tips on how to gracefully decline invitations are total clickbait.) Even Facebook recognizes the flake-out factor and has added the option to express interest in an event rather than giving a false RSVP.
It comes down to this: Do you want to be known for your follow-through or your flakiness? It’s not about making a New Year’s pledge. It’s about setting your reputation.
In a Marie Kondo moment, instead of adding commitments in 2016 out of a desire for recognition, we can experience greater fulfillment by tidying up our time and decluttering our calendars. I am doing no one a favor by sitting on a board and not attending meetings. Or worse, by attending a few and making promises and then not delivering. Or, perhaps worst of all, stretching myself so thin in order to be everywhere that the involvements have lost their joy and I’m not delivering my best work to any of them.
I’m no guru of balance. It’s not that I’ve never been a no-show, or spaced out on a commitment. I certainly have, and suffer through feelings of awkwardness and guilt the next time I run into the person I let down. We’re all human, and especially now that I have two small children, I can understand that life happens and there are circumstances outside our control.
But I’ve also made a more conscious effort to pick only a few things that I’m passionate about and work as a dedicated part of the group. I’ve also tried to be more honest with myself about whether I can actually make a social obligation before I accept an invitation.
Cheers to a year of saying yes — to fewer, more fulfilling things.
Brianne Sanchez is community relations manager at Des Moines University, a freelance writer, wife and mother. She served as founding co-chair of YNPN Des Moines until June 2015 and on past planning teams for TEDxDes Moines and TEDxDesMoinesWoman. She is a Drake University Master of Public Administration alumna and maintains a personal blog at bsinthemidwest.com.
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