Why Are You Waiting To Say Yes?

Why is it so hard to say yes - even when you've gone through everything to make the move?

It’s time to pose the question: Why it is so hard to say yes? You’ve had your interview, you know it’s the right place to go, you’ve asked yourself the right questions, you know it’s the right timing; and yet, you’re reluctant to say yes. What is it that’s holding most people back from finally saying yes to that next stage in their life? Although this is a more philosophical type of question, it is one that I believe should be reflected upon in a blog like this.  This week’s blog will be shorter than most, but it will only concentrate on that single question.

The Natural Fear Of Change: Reasons Why It May Be Hard To Say Yes

So, what is it? Why is it so hard to say yes? Why is it so hard to leave the old behind and move forward with an exciting new situation? I believe the answer is simple: we’re complacent. We don’t want to seem afraid but in essence, we are. Although change can be overly exciting, it can also be frustrating. To the place where the frustration in your mind perceives to be greater than the benefit of the change, then, of course, the answer is going to be no. Why should I upset the applecart when I know everything I have to do on a daily basis, and I can get into the flow and not have to think about it? I know if I take a new position, then I’m literally starting all over again. I have to prove myself again and sell myself again. Do I really want to do this?

You Can’t Deny It Can Be Hard To Say Yes, But Get Back In The Driver’s Seat

Now that I’ve laid out why most people don’t want to do this, how do we get past that?  Does it really have to be this hard to say yes? How do you get to see that the business life that you’re leaving behind is one that should be left behind and it is time to move on to a new situation? The only way you can do this is to ask yourself questions. The most important question is: within the next couple of years, am I going to be happier, more fulfilled, and hopefully making a better living than I am currently today? To defeat complacency, you have to be excited not just today but every day that you’ll go to work at your new firm. To quote one of my recent candidates who recently made a move, “It’s exciting, it’s exhilarating. I’ve been coasting too long and now I know I’m back in the driver’s seat.”

What’s It Going To Be? 

If the above paragraph does not get you excited and energetic, then complacency has certainly taken its place. If on the converse you can see yourself feeling this way, then at your next opportunity you should say yes – at least yes to listen if recruiters should call.  If you’re in a situation right now where you have received the written offer and you’re taking time to contemplate whether to accept or not, I ask you to reread the third paragraph. Can you see yourself feeling that way? If you do sign the offer and move ahead, don’t make it difficult or hard to say yes. You have a manager waiting for you. They’ve interviewed you; they know you’re the right candidate, and now it’s time for you to put complacency behind you and accept that offer.

Conclusion

If you would like to discuss your options, please reach out for a confidential conversation at 760-477-1284 or email at [email protected]. He can also be reached on LinkedIn. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter here, which is a compilation of our weekly blogs, so you never miss one. You can find our listing in the “supplier and services” section of the Red Book under the title of “executive recruiting.”

About Harlan Friedman, JD & Founding Member, H. Friedman Search LLC. Harlan is a thirty-year veteran Public Finance Banker turned recruiter who specializes in the placement of all levels Public Finance Bankers, Healthcare Bankers, Municipal Advisors, Compliance Officers, Issuers, and Bond Counsels.