From: alexhormozi
The speaker attributes periods of significant business growth in short timeframes to what he calls a “season of no” [00:00:11]. This concept emphasizes the importance of saying no to distractions and non-essential activities to focus intensely on a single, primary objective.
The Season of No
A “season of no” is not meant to last forever, but rather for a specific, focused period. These seasons can vary in length, from a few months to several years [00:00:21].
An Extreme Example
The longest “season of no” the speaker experienced lasted three years [00:00:27]. During this time, his focus was extreme, driven by a fear of “messing it up” after escaping absolute poverty and beginning to see success [00:00:33].
During this period, he made significant sacrifices:
- Social Life He said “no” to friends, stopped drinking alcohol entirely, and avoided all social events [00:00:30].
- Professional Engagements He was part of a paid group, costing $35,000 annually, but he did not attend any of its events for two years, despite paying for membership [00:00:45].
- Reaping the Rewards This intense focus during his “season of no” led to a significant business achievement, described as a “$50 million dollar exit” [00:01:37]. He notes that the people he said no to still contact him, suggesting these relationships were not permanently damaged [00:01:42].
The Trade-off of “No”
Saying “no” can feel difficult because it often feels like rejecting others [00:00:54]. However, the speaker re-frames this by considering that saying “no” to one thing is actually saying “yes” to the most important thing [00:01:03]. He views giving “yeses” to others as withdrawals from his “personal energy account” and “no’s” as “deposits into [his] gold account” [00:02:29].
He emphasizes that achieving a “really big thing” opens up more opportunities in the long run than pursuing many small, distracting ones [00:01:09].
Personal Growth Through Focus
The speaker shares his experiences in the gym space, where he worked for a decade [00:04:44]. He chose a licensing route over opening 100 locations or franchising, and attributes this sustained focus to success [00:04:47]. He admits that starting a supplement company during that time was a “bigger mistake” and he “probably should have kept doing the main thing” [00:04:56]. He now makes videos to share these lessons [00:04:57].
Sacrificing for the Goal
During a period of trying to expand his business from six to ten locations, he worked 80 to 100 hours a week [00:08:08]. He gave up football and Netflix, and instead of focusing on a “to-do list,” he began writing down what he was willing to sacrifice for his goals [00:08:21].
He believes that if you’re not making progress as fast as desired, it’s not necessarily because others are doing things you aren’t, but because you are doing things they aren’t – specifically, they are choosing to say no to more activities [00:08:35]. By saying no to “everything else,” only the essential work remains [00:08:47].
Strategies for Enhanced Productivity
Eliminating Distractions
To be truly productive, the speaker suggests creating an environment that leaves “no space for anything else to occur” [00:09:23]. He advises changing the environment rather than trying to change oneself, as it’s easier to remove distractions than to rely on willpower [00:09:32].
Applying “No” to Various Aspects of Life
The speaker applies the “season of no” philosophy to several areas:
- Work Below Pay Grade He observed a CEO of a portfolio company spending 10 to 15 hours weekly on tasks below their pay grade, impacting company cash flow. The speaker advised delegating these tasks, highlighting that others might do them better due to focused attention [00:05:06].
- Family Obligations He argues that “family obligations” are actually “family choices” and sometimes require saying “no” to frequent contact (e.g., daily calls to a parent) [00:05:38]. This is a trade-off where one might face criticism but ultimately allows one to pursue their own significant goals. The speaker states that one must “let other people’s dream of you die so that your dream can live” [00:06:12], as there’s limited personal capacity.
- Business Contacts Taking “quick” calls from business contacts (e.g., “Hey, I wanted to touch base real quick about something”) is a significant drain, not just for the call’s duration, but for the mental overhead before and after [00:06:51]. He points out research suggesting task switching can make an individual four times less productive per unit of time [00:07:23]. While valuable to provide value early in one’s career, it must be a conscious choice [00:07:54].