A Moment I Knew I Would Share with You This Sunday Morning

He lifted his hand, smiled, and traced the word "NO" in the air with his fingers, a simple, powerful gesture that has stayed with me.

It is Sunday morning, and the warmth is already hanging over Ibiza. This week marks the IMS (International Music Summit), the season's official opening. The timing feels almost Swiss in its precision.

The island breeze brought me back to a lesson I must relearn: the power of saying "no."

My neighbor, twenty years older than me, has lived here for over two decades. A retired entrepreneur whose journey closely resembles mine: a rapid climb, and a conscious decision to redesign his life. During our conversations over fresh coffee and beside his fantastic pool, he unexpectedly became a mentor. His advice was always the same: "Protect your energy."

While he visited his birth country, a familiar temptation came knocking: an offer to join the board of a local initiative. Flattered by the attention, caught in old reflexes, I said "yes."

Almost immediately, I knew I had made a mistake.

That night, the commitments quickly began pulling at the balance I had fought to create here. Meetings and expectations would slowly erode the freedom that sustains my creativity and health. Moreover, joining a board within a Spanish entity often means dealing with bureaucracy and corruption, realities I was not willing to accept.

Ironically, I have given dozens of lectures about the importance of saying "no," yet I made the same mistake. It's a classic combination of ego and the sincere desire to fix something that was not working.

That night, I lay awake, worrying about my decision. The next day, my neighbor returned from his trip. During the welcome dinner, he smiled at me and traced "NO" in the air with his fingers. It was a simple, powerful reminder, and precisely what I needed.

That same evening, I reversed my decision. I wrote an e-mail and respectfully thanked the board for their trust, but chose a deeper responsibility to myself, my health, and my purpose.

I am entirely focusing on my work as a DJ, my record label, and my writing. As tempting as it is to jump at the dozens of opportunities that pass by, this demands focus, not expansion.

Entrepreneurship often tempts us into thinking that every opportunity must be seized and that saying "no" is a weakness. But true strength, the kind that lasts a lifetime, lies in the opposite. As I wrote in Redesign, success is not about how much you can accumulate but how masterfully you can edit your life until only the essential remains.

Ibiza teaches this lesson daily. The sun does not compete with the stars; it shines when it is time. The waves do not chase every gust of wind; they move with their rhythm.

In Redesign, I share the Five Facets of Sustainable Entrepreneurship, which are, at their core, all about respect for energy, boundaries, and health. Protecting these is not selfishness. It is the highest form of leadership.

If you find yourself at a crossroads this week and feel the urge to say "yes" out of guilt, fear, or ego, pause. Listen to your deeper rhythm. Trust that saying "no" can be the most powerful investment in your future.

Freedom is not something you win once. Freedom is a choice you make every single day.

I should also reread my book, Redesign, in the coming week. The power of mentorship has certainly proven itself once again.

Would you like to discover how to redesign your life for sustainable success? Redesign is your guide. You can find it here: https://amzn.to/42uMdbi

See you on the island if you ever need a reminder to say "no" with full conviction.