Default Answer: Yes or No?

Steely Dan in Kansas City. And on a school night!

There are people who prefer to say “Yes” and there are people who prefer to say “No.” Those who say “Yes” are rewarded by the adventures they have, and those who say “No” are rewarded by the safety they attain. — Keith Johnstone, Impro

When a new experience presents itself, do you assume the answer is no and make sure there’s no reason to say yes?

Or do you assume the answer is yes and make sure there’s no reason to say no?

How do we balance giddy spontaneity with hard-headed responsibility?

Which is more important: adventure or safety?

Balance Adventure and Safety

Each person’s natural balance point between adventure and safety is different. I gravitate toward safety, and I have to regularly inject adventure into my life if I want to do anything interesting. Seriously, I’ll just live the same day over and over if I’m not careful.

To wit: Last night, a friend and I drove three hours to see Steely Dan in Kansas City. This was a “yes” moment for me:

On one hand: Steely Dan is my favorite band, and my friend had kindly offered my a free seat. Like, a really nice seat. Seven rows back.

On the other hand: It was a weeknight, we’d be driving six hours, and we both had to work at 8 AM today.

This was a no-brainer. It would be kinda crazy not to go to the show.

I’m really tired, but it was awesome.

Now, being out till 2:30 AM every Thursday night isn’t good, and neither is going to bed at 9:00 PM every Saturday. It’s all about balance.

Think about where your balance point is. Do you lean toward saying yes or no?

What if you shifted a little toward the other answer?