Before yesterday, Friday, the first phase of the experiment was over. Yes to everything VS No to everything. It has been 10 days of yes to everything. All the “yes” that I have been able to. I have learned more than I imagined, I have lived in contrasting poles with quite interesting contradictions.
Tracking parameters
These are the quantitative parameters that I followed:
- “Yes” instead of “no”: when I said “yes” to something that I would usually have said “no.”
- Yes: “yes” they were not forced and yes natural.
- No: “no” not forced, simple.
- Avoid situation: when trying to avoid a job that required a “yes.”
- “No” instead of “yes”: when I gave a “no” that should be a “yes” for the phase of the experiment I was in.
- Rectifications: when I said “no” first, I realized it and then offered a “yes.”
Qualitative parameters
- Things that stand out: outstanding facts within the “yes.”
- Surprising: anecdotes and moments that I considered as genuine within the “yes.”
- Unexpected: situations in which I was caught off guard and then gave in without realizing it.
Results on the dashboard
Here are the quantitative results obtained at the end of the 10 days of yes to everything:
- 20 “yes” instead of “no.”
- 50 yes.
- 11 no.
- 2 situations avoided.
- 7 “no” instead of “yes”.
- 4 rectifications.
And here the qualitative …
Things that stand out over the 10 days:
- Pay in cash a product that you would typically have paid by card or by the company.
- Donate all the purchase of the week to a person who ordered food when leaving the supermarket.
- Schedule a meeting with a multi-level marketing company.
- Let a friend drive my car
- Send 50€ to a follower for asking me on Instagram.
- Access to organize a conference and event in Castellón with Eduardo Reyes.
- Buy a lottery ticket at the Gas Station. And a pack of chewing gum, and an offer on sausages. And a loaf of wheat bread. In addition to a lack of air fresheners for the car. (Without consuming any of these foods)
- Commit to working on three new projects of which I have no idea about and do not fit in with my goals or pretensions.
- Confirm an online conference during World Escape Day.
- Listen to the offers from my phone company, change plans, acquire two new packages and hire a new line.
Surprising things worth mentioning
- Use my colleagues as a shield so I don’t have to say “no.”
- Travel to the other side of the country to give a free conference.
- Help my neighbor to hang pictures when I don’t have much idea about it.
- Commit me to one member of my team to go dressed as a woman to the next Stand OUT Program, in Alicante.
- Recognize a “no” instead of a “yes.”
- Saying “yes” to lying to myself.
- Recognize that they suck up to me unnecessarily.
- Assume responsibilities that don’t belong to me just for the sake of saying “yes”.
- Listen for 30 minutes to a commercial that sold credit cards and end up signing a plan.
Unexpected things that happened
- Say “no” to a commitment that I should have said “yes” to.
- Give a “yes” to a place for Stand OUT program Málaga.
- Give 10€ to a homeless person.
- Having to eat fideuá, here they played me good.
- Saying “yes” to try and buy a product you would never use.
- Work free for 4 hours.
- Give a “no” to the spice that Javi Macías offered me.
- Deal with and go to an unplanned meeting.
As I said, it has been something unusual, strange, quite uncomfortable and sometimes disconcerting. Nothing fun, I think.
10 days of Yes to everything
I have recorded a video to explain to you the rest of the experience lived in the first phase of yes to everything for 10 days, firsthand.
Photo credit: Laura Veronesi.