With summer in full swing at our house, and our kids enjoying the daily promise of infinite possibility, I’ve been thinking about the weight of the word yes.
Because every week, creators tell me:
“I just need one more client.”
“It’s only a few minutes a day on a new platform.”
“I’ll squeeze it in.”
But here’s the problem: every yes is silently a no to something else.
- Saying yes to a new project can mean saying no to deeper creative work.
- Saying yes to another meeting means saying no to whitespace or rest.
- Saying yes to a “quick task” might cost you hours if it compounds over a year.
We talk about debt like it’s only money. But debt lives everywhere—in our calendars, obligations, and choices we’re afraid to undo.
This is called project debt (or opportunity cost .)
It’s the invisible weight that accumulates every time we say yes without considering the future cost.
It’s why so many of us feel overwhelmed, scattered, and creatively drained, even while being “busy” with the things that are supposed to matter most.
This week’s Red Thread is for anyone staring at all their project irons in the fire, wondering where all the time and energy went to move them forward.
Because every yes comes at a cost. The trick is making sure it’s a cost you actually want to pay.
This post is an excerpt from my Red Threads newsletter.
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