Ryan Leak

That's helpful too.

And regardless of how we're saying no, we inevitably...

giving people an answer that they do not want to hear.

I know when I ask for stuff, I want people to say yes, but I've learned to respect no over time.

And so I'm going to give you a couple of ways that I've been learning to do this over the last couple of years as requests and demands have been at an all-time high.

And I'm also having to navigate ways

work-life balance, if you will.

I was a growing family that played multiple sports and navigating travel.

And inevitably, I'm having to say no more than I ever have.

And it can feel like I'm disappointing more people than I ever have.

But I'm actually protecting margin in a way that I think sets me up for long-term success personally and professionally.

So sometimes if I need to say no,

I will simply share where my margin is currently going.

So sometimes I'll say something like this.

Hey, I would love to connect, but right now all of the margin I have is being directed toward a few different priorities that I've already committed to.

And sometimes I say, man, my kids, man, they've got...

They've got sports this week, and I would really love to grab dinner with you, but I told my son I'd take him to practice or that I would be at his game.

And so while I do have the margin, right now it's being directed towards some other priorities.

This communicates a couple of things.

One, it communicates appreciation.