The Power of No (Pretentious Essay #2)
The most important thing I’ve learned in recent memory is that “yes,” is not the inherently magical word I once believed it to be. When I was eleven years old I saw the movie “Yes Man,” in which the protagonist said yes to every single opportunity and question that anyone ever asked him. This resulted in a tirade of wacky misadventures and opportunities for the main character that had never before been even considered. As a child, I thought this was the answer. If you say yes to everything, you’ll discover hidden gems of enjoyment, and learn to handle better those aspects that aren’t as enjoyable. I now propose an alternate strategy: Say yes to your future and no to everything else. The word yes marks the beginning of something, be it the first chapter in your new life, or simply the beginning of the end. You are the only person that will ever truly understand what the personal weight of “yes,” means to you; you can’t squander new beginnings on somebody else’s story. If you want to travel the world, you’re aware that you have to work, plan, schedule, prepare, and build up to the point in your life where you’re capable of doing that. If you’re in the process of living that tale, and somebody wants you to partake in an endeavor with them, you’re under no obligation to oblige. By saying no to somebody else, you’re saying yes to the story that you’ve already begun writing. Life is a world, and in this world there are millions of square miles spanning billions of directions and angles. To reach your destination, you do not wander aimlessly, but rather take a path. This path doesn’t have to be one pre-built for you, but it does require purpose and drive. Saying “no,” does not deny you the view or rob you of the journey, but instead grants you your own destination.
