How does saying 'No' get the jet in the air?

The core question before taking off is 'What problem am I solving?' Saying 'No' to misaligned options is strategic elimination that defines the mission, allowing the inherent potential to focus and generate momentum.

What is the Discipline of Closing Doors?

It is the essential competency of strategic elimination. It means learning to say no to opportunities that, while good on their own, do not align with the defined big dream or core purpose.

Why is it tempting to hold onto every option?

The mind, driven by its core beliefs, seeks to keep the person safe and comfortable, which it interprets as holding onto all potential choices, fearing that any elimination represents a loss or missed opportunity.

How do boundaries build momentum?

A boundary is a practical tool that focuses potential. Once the core problem or identity is defined, the boundary eliminates distractions, allowing the individual's full capacity to generate forward momentum and Create Clarity.

How does a narrow focus create inherent authority?

Inherent authority is achieved by moving past the comfort of all options and committing to a defined mission, such as building custom SAAS solutions for a specific, niche market, thereby focusing effort where it matters most.

#94 "No" Gets The Jets In The Air: How Closing Doors Helps You Create Clarity

Francois Esterhuizen
3 days ago
2 min read

Many professionals find their inherent potential grounded not by external forces, but by internal inaction and a refusal to focus. Francois Esterhuizen works with leaders ready to take decisive action, transforming functional confusion into clear core beliefs and sustained momentum.

Imagine you are sitting in the cockpit of a high-performance machine. You have the potential to achieve supersonic speed and execute complex manoeuvres across any airspace. The capabilities are undeniable.

Yet, before the wheels lift, the core question isn't about the machine’s capabilities.

The question is: "What problem am I solving today?"Is it reconnaissance, transport, or is the mission simply to get from A to B?

Without that defined mission, the fighter jet is merely an inert, over-engineered piece of metal, grounded by a lack of clarity.

You probably feel like that jet sometimes. You possess massive potential, but it doesn't feel like you are moving or getting anywhere close to achieving it.

The Discipline of Closing Doors

Your capacity or potential are rarely the problem. Momentum is not generated by adding more options, but by strategically eliminating what is not necessary.

The idea of saying 'no' to a potential revenue stream or stimulating but non-aligned project, feels genuinely scary. You might find yourself getting stuck in, “But what if this is the one option I shouldn’t let go of?” This is where the discipline of closing doors becomes an essential practical tool to help you create clarity.

Clarity is the result of strategic elimination, not accumulation.

It is the willingness to look at all the options and discard those (especially the good ones) that do not align with your big dream.

Learning how to say no to opportunities that are excellent on their own terms, but misaligned with the direction you are trying to move in, is one of the most valuable competencies you can learn.

It is the ability to trade the comfort of potential choices for the inherent authority of focused mission.

Boundaries Build Momentum & Create Clarity

Once you have defined the core problem your business solves, or the specific identity you are committing to in your own life, you create a necessary boundary.

When you are "selling an app for doctors", you'll drown in potential options and avenues you can explore. But once you clarify that you build custom SAAS solutions for dentists in rural areas with limited wi-fi, you have developed a clear boundary and can say no to all sorts of fascinating, promising options because they don't align with your core focus.

Similarly, in your personal life, defining a new identity statement (e.g., "I am a person who values my time and commits to self-care") creates a sharp boundary. This boundary eliminates the option of choosing the familiar, unaligned behaviour.

These boundaries are what help you unlock your potential and generate momentum.

You must choose between the comfort of holding all options open and the inherent authority of a defined mission.

For your fighter jet to take off and deliver the outcome it is capable of, you need to get good at saying no.

Recognised as a trusted and sought-after clarity and leadership coach, Francois Esterhuizen works from Stellenbosch with South African professionals worldwide. His work empowers individuals and leaders to transform emotional resistance into clarity, sustained momentum, and meaningful impact.