Importance of Saying "No"

We, humans, have a feeling that saying "No" will put us in an awkward situation. We always want to please another person even though we regret it later. But we usually forget that it's so important to tell "No" for your own benefit which will make you more honest and authentic in front of others.

“Let today mark a new beginning for you. Give yourself permission to say NO without feeling guilty, mean, or selfish. Anybody who gets upset and/or expects you to say YES all of the time clearly doesn’t have your best interest at heart. Always remember: You have a right to say NO without having to explain yourself. Be at peace with your decisions.”? Stephanie Lahart

Let's take some example where we usually don't say "No",

1. The customer who will not buy your product, but will not say no and end up being followed multiple times by the seller.
2. HR knows that the candidate is rejected but they keep you hanging without telling you the outcome of the interview.
3. An employee takes the extra burden on him because he cannot say no and this does drop him in that situation where he cannot do it.

Why do we do this, because we are educated like this to be nice to everyone? One of the arguments can be made that what if I don't have an answer at that very moment, then you can take your time but you should keep the person waiting for long just like how HR does with the candidate. What if I wanted to buy but I cannot afford it, then say it that I can't afford instead of just postponing it.

It not only saves your time but it will build your relationship with others because they know that you are honest and authentic and you do what you really can do. You do not have to give a lot of explanation, just be clear and confident when you are saying "No" to another person.

Let's hear from you, what do you think is the importance of saying "NO".