Saying no and stopping things is hard when we’re young because our heads are full of the potential upside everything has.

"No" when we’re young means no reward.

But it helps to put ourselves in the shoes of older us and ask what we’ll regret spending so much time on or not quitting.

From an older person's perspective, saying no means saving time and an opportunity to attain something else.

I personally feel this right now. I work full time and am doing more school after already graduating university. Quitting that extra schooling means losing salary upside, but from the vantage point of my older self, it would mean having more time to focus on things I’m passionate about.

Parker Palmer sums it up nicely

>When I was young, saying “enough” seemed risky. I’ve known people who lost friends, reputations, money, and livelihoods for saying, “this far and no more.”
>
>But risk looks different from the vantage of old age.
>
>More than fearing the cost of taking risks for the things I care about, I fear aging into obedience to the worst impulses in and around me.

**********

This post was from my newsletter

I share ideas from great thinkers so we can stand on the shoulders of giants, instead of figuring life out alone