Header Banner
wonderhowto.mark.png
Gadget Hacks Next Reality Food Hacks Null Byte The Secret Yumiverse Invisiverse Macgyverisms Mind Hacks Mad Science Lock Picking Driverless

How to Say "No" Without Sounding Like a Jerk

Sep 1, 2014 07:26 PM
Text bubble with the word "NO" surrounded by various questions and requests.

A work acquaintance you don't know very well invites you to his backyard barbecue and you don't really want to go. Do you politely decline or do you feel paranoid about hurting his feelings and say "yes"?

While it is a good thing to want to be a nice and helpful person, being a people-pleaser and saying "yes" to other people's requests at the expense of your own commitments and priorities is extremely detrimental to your own personal well-being.

Listed below are eight verbal strategies for gently but firmly letting the other person know that you can't fulfill his or her request. The more you say "no" to things you don't really want to do or are not passionate about, the more time you have to say "yes" to the people you really want to see, the events you really want to check out and the goals you feel most passionate about.

On the flip side of the coin, if you really want somebody to say "yes" to your request, check out my previous guide, "9 Ways to Get People to Do What You Want."

Click on image to enlarge.

How to politely decline requests and obligations you don't want to do.
How to Say "No" Without Sounding Like a Jerk
How to politely decline requests and obligations you don't want to do.
How to Say "No" Without Sounding Like a Jerk

You already know how to use your phone. With Gadget Hacks' newsletter, we'll show you how to master it. Each week, we explore features, hidden tools, and advanced settings that give you more control over iOS and Android than most users even know exists.

Sign up for Gadget Hacks Weekly and start unlocking your phone's full potential.

Related Articles

Comments

No Comments Exist

Be the first, drop a comment!