You're reading this because you've sent me a request. ## A Difficult Decision I desperately want to say "yes." Saying yes feels good, makes people happy, and brings exciting opportunities... but "yes" also has a huge downside. When I say yes to something, I'm implicitly saying no to commitments I've made to myself and others. I've done that in the past at the cost of health, family, and important goals and projects. The price of feeling good in the moment was too high. ## Focus and Energy In my book, [*Lean Marketing*](https://get.leanmarketing.com/book), I wrote: "I'm constantly reminding myself to stay focused on my current opportunities because focus and energy are finite resources. Imagine you have ten units of energy. If you scatter it in ten different directions, you'll make one unit of progress in each. But if you focus all ten units of energy in a single direction, you'll get ten units of progress in that direction." ![[focus.png|300]] (_Lean Marketing_, page 34) ## Walking the Walk I know some authors and "thought leaders" who talk the talk but don't walk the walk. What they teach and what they do is radically different. I hate that and never want to be one of those phonies. So, as much as I want to say yes—and as much as I care about you, your project, and your success—I must respectfully decline. Wishing you much peace, love, and joy. -Allan