مکالمه ی فعالانه قسمت ب

ACTIVE SPEAKING / PART B

YES OR NO

Tom is not the only one to have experimented with saying “yes” more in hopes of achieving a more exciting and fulfilling life.

Have other people experimented with saying yes more? Yes, other people have experimented with saying yes more. Is Tom the only one? No, Tom isn’t the only one.

Tom was inspired by actor, writer, comedian, and filmmaker Danny Wallace, who wrote the book Yes Man.

Was Tom inspired by Danny Wallace? Yes, Tom was inspired by Danny Wallace. Who was Tom inspired by? Tom was inspired by Danny Wallace.

Danny Wallace writes about a low period in his life after breaking up with a girlfriend.

Does Wallace write about a high period or a low period in his life? Wallace writes about a low period in his life.

He found himself turning down invitations from friends and spending more and more time alone.

What was he turning down? He was turning down invitations from friends. Was he spending more time alone? Yes, he was spending more time alone.

Around this time, a stranger on a bus told him to start saying yes more to life.

Did he meet a friend on the bus? No, he didn’t meet a friend on the bus. He met a stranger on the bus.

This was a turning point that led him to make a promise that he documents in his book.

Was this a turning point? Yes, this was a turning point. What did this turning point lead him to do? This turning point led him to make a promise.

“I, Danny Wallace, being of sound mind and body, do hereby write this manifesto for my life. I swear I will be more open to opportunity. I swear I will live my life taking every available chance. I will say Yes to every favour, request, suggestion and invitation. I WILL SWEAR TO SAY YES WHERE ONCE I WOULD SAY NO.”

Did he swear to say yes? Yes, he swore to say yes. Did he swear to say yes where once he would say no? Yes, he swore to say yes where once he would say no.

Throughout the book, he tells funny stories of saying yes to ridiculous things, but also talks about how being less negative and more open changed his life for the better.

What kind of things does he say yes to? He says yes to ridiculous things. Does he become less negative or more negative? He becomes less negative. Does he become more open?

Yes, he becomes more open. Does this change his life for the better or for the worse? This changes his life for the better.

This crazy experiment led him to finding a new girlfriend, a new job on TV, and writing a book that became a movie.

What good things did this crazy experiment lead to? This crazy experiment led him to finding a new girlfriend, a new job on TV, and writing a book that became a movie.

Of course, saying “yes” is not always the right answer, but for some people, saying “no” is a difficult thing to do.

Is saying yes always the right answer? No, of course saying yes is not always the right answer. Is it difficult for some people to say no? Yes, it is difficult for some people to say no.

Is it difficult for you to say no?

We are bombarded by requests for our attention.

What are we bombarded by? We are bombarded by requests for our attention.

Friends, family and advertisers all hope we will say “yes” to a product, an experience, or an idea.

Who want us to say yes? Friends, family and advertisers all hope we will say yes. Do they want us to say yes to a product, an experience, or an idea? Yes, they want us to say yes to a product, an experience, or an idea.

And saying yes, means giving up our time and attention, two things that are in limited supply.

What does saying yes mean giving up? Saying yes means giving up our time and attention.

Are these things plentiful? No, they’re not plentiful. These are two things that are in limited supply.

Economists say we’ve transitioned from an information economy to an “attention economy.” Who says this? Economists say this.

Human attention has become one of our most valuable resources.

What has become one of our most valuable resources? Human attention has become one of our most valuable resources.

The old phrase “pay attention” even contains the idea that attention itself can be a form of payment.

What idea does the old phrase “pay attention” contain? The old phrase “pay attention” contains the idea that attention itself can be a form of payment.

With an economy that revolves around our willingness to pay attention and say “yes”, learning to say “no” is not an easy task for many people.

Is learning to say no an easy task? No, learning to say no is not an easy task for many people. Is saying no an easy task for you?