Podcast Summary: The Ryan Leak Podcast

Episode: A Better Way of Saying No

Host: Ryan Leak
Date: March 23, 2026

Overview

In this impactful episode, Ryan Leak delves into the art—and necessity—of saying no. Recognizing that many listeners struggle with overloaded schedules and competing priorities due to an inability to decline requests, Ryan provides practical strategies and authentic scripts for saying no in ways that are respectful, clear, and even inspirational. He humorously and honestly shares personal anecdotes, discusses the emotional complexity behind saying no, and highlights the importance of protecting one’s margins to ensure long-term success both personally and professionally.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Challenge of Saying No

• Caring is at the root:

  • Many people find saying no difficult, not because they're weak, but because they care about others and want to be helpful, generous, and available.
  • “I think saying no feels harder than it should. And it's not because we're weak. I think it's because we care.” (01:30)

• Endless requests:

  • Daily life is full of requests: quick calls, coffee meetings, resume reviews, volunteering at children’s schools, and more.
  • “The request, well, they just never stop coming.” (02:30)

• Competing priorities:

  • The real issue isn’t the requests themselves, but how they create competing priorities.
  • “Every yes to something is a no to something else.” (04:10)

The Cost of Too Many Yeses

• Consequences of overscheduling:
  • Overcommitting leads to an overfull calendar and depleted patience and energy.
  • “Many of us just keep saying yes until our calendars are so full. Then our patience begins to run on empty.” (04:30)

Scripts and Strategies for Saying No

• Share your current commitments:

  • “Hey, I would love to connect, but right now all of the margin I have is being directed toward a few different priorities that I've already committed to.” (06:10)
  • Clearly communicating where your current ‘margin’ (time/energy) is focused fosters appreciation and respect without devaluing the request.

• Short, honest, and kind:

  • “Hey, I really appreciate you reaching out, but I'm just not able to take on anything else right now. But, hey, I'm cheering you on.” (08:10)
  • Direct without being dismissive; keeps relationships intact.

• For requests you simply don’t want:

  • “Thank you for thinking of me. I'm just not the best person for this. But, hey, I hope it goes really well for you.” (09:20)
  • Delivers a respectful no without opening the door to debate or negotiation.

Memorable Moments and Notable Quotes

• Saying no can inspire others:

  • “I've had people say, dude, I love the way that you say no. In fact, it challenged me to say no more.” (07:55)

• Airport Terminal Time:

  • Ryan shares his technique for making the best use of small, contained amounts of time, like waiting at an airport gate, to have concise and intentional conversations.
  • “Airport terminal time is where if I'm traveling and I have a little extra time sitting at a gate, sometimes I will offer that time for a quick conversation. …So they know they got a 20 minute shot clock and that they can't waste time.” (11:20)

• Yeses breed more yeses:

  • “Every yes tends to multiply.” (15:20)
  • One yes often turns into a cascade of additional asks, meetings, or related tasks.

The Importance of Protecting Prior Yeses

• Guard your best energy:

  • “Every time that you say yes to something you're not supposed to say yes to, that definitely needs to be a no. You're robbing your prior yeses of your best energy.” (18:40)

• Call for reflection:

  • Ryan encourages listeners to honestly “take inventory” of current commitments and assess where better boundary-setting is needed.
  • “At some point, we've gotta be able to communicate this to our outside world to be able to go, hey… I don't even know that I'm giving my absolute best to the yes I've already been given.” (20:10)

Timestamps – Important Segments

• 00:01 – 03:45: Introduction, why saying no is hard, common scenarios of being overasked
• 03:46 – 05:30: Competing priorities and the limits of time, energy, and margin
• 05:31 – 09:58: Practical scripts for saying no, with context and rationale
• 10:00 – 13:32: Navigating different types of no, value preservation, airport terminal time strategy
• 13:33 – 17:40: The compounding nature of yeses, costs and consequences
• 17:41 – 21:35: Protecting prior commitments, the importance of honest self-appraisal, encouragement to practice new boundaries

Tone and Style

Ryan’s delivery is friendly, candid, often humorous, while rooted in practical, actionable wisdom. He uses relatable anecdotes and conversational language, making his guidance feel accessible and nonjudgmental.

Memorable closing thought:

• “The goal of us saying no is to get to a place where we can value all people without saying yes to all people.” (09:50)

Key Takeaways

• Saying no is an act of care—for yourself, your priorities, and your commitments
• Share your margin honestly to foster respect and understanding
• Use time constraints (like “airport terminal time”) creatively to help others within your limits
• Each yes carries hidden commitments; guard your time and focus accordingly
• Regularly review your commitments and protect your best energy to be your best self

For listeners overwhelmed by constant requests, Ryan Leak offers both empathy and a toolbox of better ways to say no—setting you up for greater personal and professional success by valuing your most important yeses.