The Moment I Almost Said No – And What I Learned from Saying Yes!

People often see moments of courage and leadership from the outside. They see the bold decisions, the big leaps, and the confidence to make things happen. But what they don’t always see—the part that stays hidden—is the fear that comes with it.

One year on from the incredible GLOBAL SERVICE JAM, I want to pull back the curtain and share my own fears.

This is the story of a moment when fear nearly stopped me. And how, without the support of two incredible people—Louise and Nils—I might have never taken the leap that changed everything.

The Call That Changed Everything

I was sitting at my computer, phone in hand, talking to Louise, a friend and new associate i wanted to work with.

We were about to do something huge—host a three-day event as part of the Global Service Jam, a worldwide event running in over 150 cities. We’d be responsible for finding a venue, marketing the event, and then… actually running it.

We had both felt drawn to it. The idea of facilitating, bringing people together, and sparking creativity excited us. But when the moment came to actually commit, I froze.

I was terrified.

What if we couldn’t pull it off?
What if no one showed up?
What if we weren’t good enough?

At that moment, standing at the edge of opportunity, fear took over.

I called Louise, hoping for more time—more questions, more excuses, more reasons to delay.

But instead of giving me a way out, she gave me a push forward.

“Have you signed up yet?” she asked.

“No, not yet. I’m about to…”

“Sign up. We’re doing it! I’m with you. We’ll make it happen.”

That was it. No hesitation. No overthinking. Just commitment.

I took a deep breath. “Okay. I am.”

And just like that, we were in.

What Almost Didn’t Happen

That moment could have gone differently.

If I hadn’t had someone by my side, fear might have won. I might have talked myself out of it. I might have chosen the safe, easy path—one where I didn’t put myself out there, didn’t risk failing, didn’t do something that scared me.

And if I hadn’t taken that step:

🚀 I wouldn’t have experienced the most fulfilling, exciting three days of my life.
🎤 I wouldn’t have discovered my natural ability for facilitation and training.
💡 I wouldn’t have seen first-hand how powerful it is to help others unlock their creativity and confidence.
🎯 I wouldn’t have knocked over the next domino—the one that led to a career in facilitation and creative leadership.

But because of Louise, I did, we did!

The Power of Having People By Your Side

One of the biggest lessons I learned wasn’t about facilitation, creativity, or leadership.

It was about how good it feels to be part of a team.

Myself, Louise, and Nils—who ran the event together—were proof of how people with different strengths can come together and make something happen. We didn’t have fixed roles or titles. We just instinctively did what came naturally, supporting each other every step of the way.

And Louise, in her wonderfully cheeky way, made sure I never forgot it.

At one point, in the middle of the event, she pulled me aside, grinned, and said:
“Andy… this is amazing, but you couldn’t do this without me.” 😉

She was joking (mostly), but she was also right!

I couldn’t have done it alone.
None of us could have.
And that’s the point.

When You’re Scared to Take the Leap

Fear is always going to be there when you step into the unknown. That never really goes away. But when you’re standing at the edge of something big, wondering whether to take the leap, remember this:

1. Get support from ‘YES PEOPLE’.
   Find people who will stand with you, push you forward, and remind you of what you’re capable of.
   
2. Have faith in your ability to figure it out.
   Even if you don’t feel ready, trust that you’ll figure it out along the way.
   
3. Commit.
   Sometimes, you just have to say yes and make it happen.

Because you never know what’s waiting on the other side of that leap.

And trust me—it might just change everything!