Episode 10: D.A.R.E. to Say "No"

TAKEAWAY: D.A.R.E. to say "No" and do it respectfully. The acronym D.A.R.E. is a tool to help us say "no" while still being respectful to others within our dental community. While the acronym is something I came up with myself, the idea that saying "no" is a vital tool for success, health, and happiness, is very much a credit to my man-crush, Greg McKeown. It can be hard to say "no" sometimes...or a lot of the time! Especially when it's to something good, "worthy" or important. This is why it's beneficial to have a clear direction or vision for our life, practice, etc. That clarity makes "no" easier to say because we can see that it doesn't lead us closer to achieving our said vision. Even WITH clarity though, "no" can be uncomfortable. It's not the social norm, especially in our fast-paced, more-is-better society. Thankfully, Greg breaks this conundrum down for us SO succinctly in his book "Essentialism - The Disciplined Pursuit of Less".  And that's just one chapter. The whole read is life-changing. I STRONGLY recommend everyone in the dental community read it and to consider becoming an essentialist. D: Direct- make sure no one leaves the conversation unsure of whether or not you'll show up A: Appreciate- express gratitude for the ask/offer presented to you R: Remember the trade-off- saying "no" is simultaneously saying "yes" to something else of your choosing      OR      Request- ask for more time to review the offer and be sure to pair the request with a deadline you'll provide an answer by, "Can I get back to you before end of day tomorrow on that?"  E: Explain- sometimes detailing your reason for declining, helps lessen the blow REFERENCED MINDS: Greg Mckeown author of the life-changing book, "Essentialism- The Disciplined Pursuit of Less"