Never Say “No” Twice If You Mean It

“No” is a complete sentence. It doesn’t have to be backed up with all these explanatory, supplementary sentences if it’s “no” that you really mean to say and to stick to.

“Never say no twice if you mean it.”

-Nassim Taleb, “The Bed of Procrustes”

You don’t have to explain yourself once you’ve said no, and if you keep on saying it, it just weakens the…