Nathan Barry uses Richard Branson's bus metaphor to explain why founders struggle to say no to opportunities. Two filters help: a values check for alignment with your core beliefs, and a margin check for whether a new commitment eats into your calendar slack or becomes a permanent drain.
Richard Branson, opportunities are like buses. There's always another one coming. And I can say that quote. And then I like, yeah, let's get on that bus. And next one. But I struggle so much with focusing. I'm very curious, like how you say no.
One of the frameworks that we teach is values-based, also margin-based. Values-based obviously is what do you value? What do you care about personally as the business owner? Then when I have an opportunity that comes my way, quick gut check, does this fit my personal core values? If it does match, when it's hard, when it's a grind, or when it's not working, because it matches with your core values, you have extra motivation. Motivation, you have the energy, you can see the why behind it, and it'll help you keep going. The other piece, the margin piece— I don't like a lot of meetings on my calendar, I don't like being pulled into the day-to-day for my business. Is this going to give me more breathing room, or is it going to give me less breathing room? If it's going to give me less, is it a trade-off, like temporary, or is this going to become the new normal?
