It’s hard enough to avoid spreading yourself too thin just keeping up with the things you absolutely have to do and really want to do without committing to an excess of marginal projects in a hopeless effort to accommodate everyone. Don’t be so much to everyone else that you become nothing to yourself.

The only thing worse than not learning how to say “no” immediately is to not be able to kick the habit of saying “yes” to too many requests. People will respect you more if you are able to say “no” politely and pleasantly, but immediately and firmly.