In the movie, Yes Man, Carl Allen (portrayed by Jim Carrey), is mired in his negative ways until the day he attends a self-help seminar that teaches the power of saying yes. The results are immediate—new job promotion, new romance, but true to Hollywood form, Carl discovers that too much of anything can be bad for you. The road to happiness is a little more complex than simply saying yes. Still, the concept that giving to others improves your health and happiness is not a screenwriter’s fantasy. Saying yes gives you permission to receive positive energy. It fuels creativity and creates trust and safety amongst others.

In our daily lives, the inclusion of others to create positive interactions begin with saying yes. This does not mean we agree with everything, but we provide affirmation that the person is heard. By simply, nodding or saying, yes, we are passing on positive energy to the speaker. Short phrases such as, “Yes, I hear you,” or “Yes, your words are important,” are positive ways to engage the speaker. Even if we disagree, we should acknowledge value in the speaker’s words. This reduces the chance of speaker becoming defensive. It promotes openness and positive inclusion.

By saying yes, we can also produce positive energy in our everyday lives. When we focus our energy on believing that we can succeed, complete a task, or reach a goal, we are giving our inner selves permission to try. Conversely, no is the beginning of fear. Starting with yes, we are freed from self-doubt and fear. Empowered, we can take the positive energy and reach for our goals.

The power of yes produces positive energy and a sense of value. Just as depicted in the movie, Yes Man, too much of “yes,” can lead to negative consequences such as loss of standards and accountability and a sense of recklessness. This power must be tempered with common sense.

So, go forth and embrace the power of Yes!

Reach out to me, AmyD the Peak Performance Expert and Trainer, if you want to learn how you can harness the power of yes- so that you can be the most effective, focused and driven leader you can be.