Please Say No....
The speaker recounts a story where he declined a podcast request by showing his empty calendar, making clear he wanted to keep it that way. His friend found the interaction hilarious, seeing it as a power move the speaker himself didn't even realize he was making. The speaker reflects on his growing habit of saying no and how good it feels.
Summary
The speaker tells a short anecdote about being approached by someone during a real estate visit who asked him to record a quick podcast. Despite having a completely empty calendar, the speaker showed it to the man as evidence not of availability, but of intentional space he wanted to protect. He told the man he wanted to keep it that way, and the man left without getting what he asked for.
The speaker's friend witnessed the exchange and found it extremely funny, laughing and calling it a 'boss' move. The friend highlighted the irony and audacity of showing someone a blank calendar and still refusing to give them any time. The speaker admitted he hadn't consciously framed it that way — he simply meant what he said without any performative intent.
The story serves as a reflection on the value of saying no. The speaker notes that he has been doing it more and more, and that it consistently feels better the more he practices it. The anecdote illustrates how protecting your time — even when it appears unoccupied — can be a meaningful and empowering habit.
Key Insights
- The speaker used an empty calendar not as proof of availability, but as a visual explanation of why he was declining — signaling that blank time was intentionally protected, not up for grabs.
- The speaker was unaware that his refusal came across as a power move; he had no extra narrative or performative intent behind it — he simply meant exactly what he said.
- The speaker's friend reacted with laughter and admiration, framing the refusal as unusually bold ('so boss'), suggesting that saying no without apology or explanation is perceived as rare and impressive.
- The speaker notes he increasingly says no to requests and that the more he does it, the better it feels — suggesting a compounding positive feedback loop from boundary-setting.
- The speaker was visiting a friend (Ila) and had deliberately left his schedule open for personal time, indicating he proactively structures his calendar around relationships and rest rather than productivity.
Topics
Full transcript available for MurmurCast members
Sign Up to Access