Dr. Aziz (YouTube) presents a short, prescriptive exercise: deliberately say “no” to significant requests 16 times over weeks/months to build a lasting confidence ‘muscle’. He emphasizes focusing on meaningful refusals (extra work, family pressures, guilt-inducing asks) rather than trivial denials, and argues the practice reveals that saying no won’t harm relationships and produces a stronger, bolder self.
There is one thing that you can do repeatedly, in fact 16 times, that will make you supremely confident. What is that thing? Well, my friend, it's saying the big no. Saying no specifically in the areas that really matter. I'm not talking about someone's like, would you like fries with that order? You say no. That's not going to do anything for your confidence. No. I'm talking about saying no to the big things that you need to say no to. Saying no to more demand on your time at work. Saying no to that family member when you're scared they're going to be upset with you. Saying no in the situation, that makes you feel guilty. And if you say those kind of nose and you do it 16 times over the next couple weeks, couple months, you will radically shift your confidence forever. You will build a muscle that you will have for the rest of your life. It'll teach you something about yourself. You'll realize that you're not going to kill people by saying no to them, and you're going to become a more strong, bold version of you, and you get to keep that version of you for the rest of your life.
