Week 3 of 1000 NO’s Challenge: Sometimes One Ride Can Change Everything
The Temptation of the Easy YES
My thumb hovered over the keyboard.
“Let’s do it online.”
Simple. Efficient. Logical. No Uber ride, no unexpected costs, no wasted time.
But something inside me resisted.
I tried to ignore it. The little whisper in my gut that said, Not this time.
I sighed. The Uber ride wasn’t cheap, and let’s be honest—I could have used that time for something “more productive.”
And yet.
There’s a difference between saving time and making time.
I took a breath. Clicked NO. Booked the ride.
That one decision changed everything.
The Ride That Wasn’t Just a Ride
The road stretched ahead, winding through rural Portugal. The light hit the fields just right—one of those moments that remind you the world exists outside your laptop screen.
But the real magic?
That happened when I arrived.
The conversation, the true connection, the coaching, the sheer energy of being in the same space.
Screens do many things, but they don’t let you feel the weight of silence. The shift in someone’s breath when they realize something important. The electricity in the room when transformation happens.
And I almost missed it.
Because saying YES to something real? It’s rarely convenient.
The Uber Driver Who Had a Story to Tell
On the way back, my Uber driver’s navigation spoke in French.
“Are you French?” I asked.
“No,” he smiled, “Tunisian.”
We started talking. About migration, about why he left. About how the Uber game works—how drivers cancel trips if a shorter ride with a better fare appears, how the shift to electric cars is leaving some behind.
And then he said something that stuck with me:
“I take long trips like this not for the money, but because I love driving. I love the road. I love the people I meet.”
He drove slowly, talking passionately, waving his hands. The low fuel indicator blinked on the dashboard.
I should have been worried. Instead, I was fully there.
And somewhere in that conversation, I thought of an old friend. Someone I hadn’t spoken to in weeks. Someone I suddenly missed.
That same day, I called him and we had a chat that warmed my heart for the week ahead.
The Best Things Are Never Chased
The funny thing?
Every major turning point in my life followed this same pattern.
The biggest opportunities? They didn’t come because I chased them. They showed up when I was fully in the moment.
My most meaningful work? It didn’t happen because I was looking for the next step. It happened because I was there to serve, create, and contribute.
The most powerful relationships? They weren’t built through efficiency. They happened because I chose depth over ease.
And what about you?
How many things have you said NO to because it felt too inconvenient, too difficult, too uncertain?
A Life Well Lived. A Career That Thrives.
We’re entering a world where convenience is king. AI, automation, hybrid work—everything is designed to be seamless, instant, optimised.
But here’s the truth:
No algorithm will replace human presence. No amount of convenience will replace the moment when two people sit together, and something real happens.
The future of leadership? It won’t belong to those who just know more. It will belong to those who choose more.
More presence.
More depth.
More human connection in a world that’s forgetting what that even means.
One Insight. One Question.
Saying NO isn’t about shutting down possibilities. It’s about making a bold choice—and fully committing to the YES that follows.
I’ll leave you with just one question:
What’s the one YES you’ve been avoiding because it feels too inconvenient, too uncertain, too much?
Because sometimes, one ride can change everything.