From: alexhormozi
The “season of no” is a strategic period dedicated to intense focus and productivity by declining nearly all non-essential activities and opportunities. It is not meant to last forever, but rather for a defined duration, which can range from three months to three years [00:00:21]. The longest personal “season of no” experienced by the speaker was three years [00:00:27].
Philosophy Behind the “Season of No”
This concept is rooted in the idea that significant growth and success require unwavering dedication to a primary objective.
- Warren Buffett’s Insight Warren Buffett noted that the difference between successful and “really” successful people is that the latter say no to almost everything [00:00:04].
- Steve Jobs on Focus Steve Jobs emphasized that focus isn’t about saying yes to the main thing, but about saying no to a hundred (or even a thousand) other good ideas [00:03:06]. He was as proud of what Apple hadn’t done as what it had [00:03:17].
Benefits of a “Season of No”
Embracing a “season of no” has led to periods of huge growth in business within short periods [00:00:13]. It allows individuals to channel all their effort into their most important goals.
“If you say no to everything else, what’s left is the work in front of you” [00:08:47].
Re-framing “No” as a “Yes”
Saying no can feel like rejection [00:00:54]. To overcome this, it’s crucial to trick your brain into understanding that a “no” to one thing is actually a “yes” to the thing that matters most [00:01:01]. Achieving a really big goal in the future will open many doors that would otherwise remain closed if one were to get distracted by “one-off conversations, one-off favors, one-off things” [00:01:14].
An analogy used is: “Yeses” to other people are withdrawals from one’s personal energy account, while “no’s” are deposits into a “gold account” [00:02:29].
Practical Applications of Saying No
The “season of no” involves declining various categories of commitments and distractions:
Personal Life
- Friends: During a three-year season, the speaker said no to friends, which was described as extreme but necessary to escape poverty [00:00:30].
- Alcohol & Social Events: Complete cessation of drinking and attending social events occurred during focused periods [00:00:41].
- Paid Group Events: Even paid memberships (e.g., $35,000/year groups) were foregone for two years to maintain focus [00:00:45].
- Sacrifices: Giving up activities like football and Netflix to achieve a goal [00:08:20].
Professional Life
- One-off Deals: Accepting equity in a client’s business, while seemingly attractive, can lead to inefficiency and divert focus from building a massive, cohesive agency [00:03:41]. Investors view such “odd appendages” as a sign of an undisciplined entrepreneur [00:04:07].
- Work Below Pay Grade: CEOs or high-level individuals should avoid spending significant time (e.g., 10-15 hours/week) on tasks that can be delegated. This prevents the business from maximizing its potential [00:05:06]. Someone else can often do the task better because they are fully focused on it [00:05:33].
- Business Contacts & Interruptions: Saying yes to “quick touch base” or “catch up” calls leads to significant hidden costs. Beyond the call duration, there’s time spent thinking before and after, and the “cost of switching” between tasks, which can make a task four times longer [00:07:09].
Challenging “Obligations”
- Family Obligations: The term “family obligation” is reframed as a “family choice” or “family trade-off” [00:05:40]. Prioritizing one’s main goal might mean trading a “stink eye” or “Mr. Big Shot” comment from family for long-term success [00:05:54].
- Letting other people’s dreams of you die allows your own dream to live, as everyone tries to mold you into the version that best serves them, even family [00:06:12]. Attempting to pursue both your goals and others’ goals for you often results in accomplishing neither [00:06:33].
Strategies for Implementation
- Warren Buffett’s Goal Setting Method:
- Write down your top 25 life goals [00:02:40].
- Order them 1 to 25 [00:02:45].
- Circle the top five [00:02:47].
- Tear off and discard everything below the top five, as those are the only things that truly matter [00:02:50].
- During a “season of no,” put all effort into the single goal among those five that matters most [00:02:53].
- For the remaining goals, define the minimum needed to avoid moving backwards [00:02:58].
- Focus on Sacrifice Lists: Instead of just making a to-do list, create a “to-don’t” list or a list of things you are willing to sacrifice for your goal [00:08:24].
- Creating a “No Space” Environment:
- Jerry Seinfeld’s writing method: He would commit to a time block where he was not allowed to do anything but write, even if it meant sitting bored [00:08:51]. This forces productivity by eliminating alternatives [00:09:22].
- Changing the environment rather than trying to change oneself is easier for changing behavior [00:09:32].
By saying no to more activities than others, one can achieve progress at a faster rate [00:08:42].