How saying yes can boost your career and life
Don’t get it twisted – saying “yes” is not always the best policy. But when it comes to taking chances, it’s important to look anxiety in the face and say, “This will be good for me and I’m going to do it.”
Grasp Opportunity By The Horns: This summer, I was looking forward to an easy-breezy-beautiful two-month span of blissful unemployment at home between semesters. I was going to wake up too late, go to the beach often, and take time to do nothing, because doing nothing is an important thing to do. But a few weeks before my departure date home, I was offered an internship position for the summer. It sounded like an amazing opportunity, but I felt wholly unprepared and underqualified. I didn’t have anywhere to live, I didn’t feel prepared for the job, and I wasn’t ready to trade the beach for the business world. But I did it. I couch surfed my way through the summer internship, which ended up being the best experience I’ve ever had. Sometimes, you just have to do it.
Travel Because You Can: Once you get a job, travel is limited to two vacation weeks per year. If you’re in college, study abroad. If that’s not an option financially, spend a month or two during the summer at a workaway or an overseas volunteer program. This will allow you cheap (sometimes free) travel opportunities in exchange for work. If you have a job, take advantage of every one of those vacation days. Go somewhere you haven’t been. Now is always the time for traveling. If there is something on this incredible planet that you want to see, see it. You don’t have to quit your job and soul-search Eat, Pray, Love-style to appreciate the world. Just go.
Spend Money On Skydiving: Because why not? Spend money on things you are going to remember. Go see your favorite band perform and go out to probably-too-expensive dinner and spend money on a skydiving trip. Spend money on experiences, because you probably don’t need more stuff. Skip the new fall blazer and buy a train ticket to New York City instead.
Not everything scary will change you for the better. But just about everything that will change you for the better is scary. It’s time to say “yes” to more scary things.
