Success Secret: Get Yourself a “Yes, And” Buddy!

One success tip that I have heard, that I have talked about, and that I have elicited in an interview (with Neen James on the Smart Ass Success Audio Series) is the idea of getting a partner, or “buddy.”

There are different types of partners, collaborators, and helpers:

• An accountability buddy is someone who you check in with periodically to hold yourself accountable; to make sure you are following through and doing what you say you would.
• A coach is someone who also hold you accountable, but also shares advice and wisdom with you
• A creative collaborator is someone you work with on projects.
• A business partner is someone you work with, perhaps in a way that complements your own skill set
• An outsourcer, contractor, or employee is someone is someone you hire to help you with the tasks you hate and have little skill for so you can spend your time on the things you love.

There are certainly other types or partnerships you can form to help you achieve your goals, and they all have their strengths.

Now, however, I am going to share with you a new type of partner:

The “Yes, And!” Buddy

One of the premises in my book, Say Yes, And! is that every good thing that happens to you comes as a result of saying, “Yes, And!”

As I was reflecting on this idea in my own life, I realized that for many of those “Yes, And!” moments, I didn’t say, “Yes, And!” alone. I had someone right there with me saying “Yes, And!” back.

Here are a few examples:

• When I decided to audition for my first high school play, I mentioned it to a friend and he said, “Yes, And I will do it too.”
• When I wanted to put on my own community theater production, while still in high school, I had another friend who said, “Yes, And I want to do it with you.”
• When I started my improv group, Polywumpus, after college, I had three friends who jumped up and said, “Yes, that’s a great idea, And we want to be a part of it.”

Those are just three small examples that had a big impact on my life, and there are many more. I’m not sharing them here to brag about how awesome I am. In fact, it’s kind of the contrary…

I am saying, that as powerful it was for me to say, “Yes, And!” to those opportunities, I honestly don’t know if I would have followed through on all of them if I didn’t have someone (or multiple people) standing there next to me saying, “Yes, And!” too.

This was a powerful realization. Looking at my current life, I know that I still have “Yes, And!” friends who will support me, and jump in with me if I need. And yet, I don’t always leverage those relationships like I should.

In fact, it seems like I often first seek out people who can point out why my idea is not so great. Yes, I go looking for a “yes, but” reaction.

There’s nothing wrong with talking with people who can bring you down to reality and point out why you may not want to run with your idea. Surrounding yourself with only people who support every cockamamie idea you have can be dangerous.

However, this is an issue of timing. Sometimes – oftentimes, actually – you need unconditional support. You need blind optimism. And most importantly, you need someone who will grab your arm and jump off the cliff with you.

It’s true, sometimes your “Yes, And” may yield less than stellar results, and you may end up wasting some time, energy, and money. But at the end of the day, saying, “Yes, And!” is the only way to achieve anything great. You need people who will support you in that.

So let me ask you three questions:

1) Who are your “Yes, And!” buddies? If you don’t know, you may need to make some more friends.

2) Do you turn to those “Yes, And!” buddies when you’re starting a new idea? Or do you immediately ask for feedback from the “yes, butters?”

3) Whose “Yes, And!” buddy are you? It’s a two way street. Help others out by saying “Yes, And!” to them when they need it.

Find a “Yes, And” buddy. Be a “Yes, And!” buddy. Say a lot more “Yes, And!”

Yes, And it’s just that simple…

For more info on Say “Yes, And!” and to learn about the $200 worth of free bonuses you can get if you buy the book on the 28^th, visit http://www.SayYesAnd.com

About

By Avish Parashar. As the world's only Motivational Improviser, Avish uses techniques from the world of improv comedy to engage, entertain, and educate audiences on ideas around change, creativity, and motivation. Connect with Avish on Google+

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