The title of this story may seem a little bit unusual, however, I’m going to attempt to explain why I call it this and my hope is that my story will inspire others to uncover and pursue their goals and dreams. I hesitated posting it publically because its personal nature, however, it is a story of transformation which can also be applied in any business or personal situation.

Before I start, I must confess, when I started to write this, I was unaware of Michael Masterson’s book entitled “The Reluctant Entrepreneur,” and only stumbled across it when I was conducting an internet search on a similar topic. I feel as if I need to give him credit for his work, however, and, while I haven’t read his book yet, it’s on my “reading list.” From the little bit I’ve seen of it so far, there may be some parallels to my message.

I am a two-time breast cancer survivor. I’m living proof that breast cancer is not always a death sentence. The first diagnosis was on September 11, 2001. There was no history of breast cancer in my family, but I faithfully had the yearly mammograms; which were always “fine;” until the last mammogram revealed a problem which later proved to be cancer.

Back in Ancient time’s life was much simpler. When King Solomon wrote in the Book of Proverbs, “Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,” he probably could have never imagined what life at work would be like in the 21^st Century. However, his words still hold true even in our time.

In the workplace we are faced with all kinds of challenges, frustrations and road blocks; not to mention interpersonal and communications problems. How we deal with those problems can make the difference between success and failure at work.

How many times do you hear someone in the workplace saying something to the effect of:

• “He or she is really a nice person but has a ‘short fuse.’”
• “He or she is a ‘loose cannon.’”
• “You don’t want to ‘cross’ him or her!”
  Read more: Real Story About Anger in the Workplace

One of my favorite quotes is from Dr. Stephen Covey. In his best-selling book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People he says: “It’s easier to say ‘no’ when you have a bigger ‘yes’ inside.” He uses an example where he describes the importance of doing the things that are truly important to you; things that are related to your goals, but not urgent and the importance of saying “no” to other people who might get you off track.

It might be uncomfortable to come right out and say “no,” and no one likes to hear it, however, there are ways to decline a request possibly without having to say “no” outright.

To achieve this, however, one must have a clear understanding of what their goals are and then set their priorities around them. One must be able to focus on those activities that are providing leverage towards their goals and not be diverted from that primary purpose.