Introduction

Vanessa Patrick is the author of The Power of Saying No. She says a major factor holding us back professionally and creatively is an ingrained habit of saying yes to things that we really want to say no to. In her book, Twyla Tharp describes how she agreed to choreograph what she calls a bad piece of music purely out of a sense of obligation to the Oscar. Whatever your reasons for starting with a project, whether crass or noble, they must be clear and unencumbered.