The Most Valuable Lesson I Learned This Year (2024)

I’m riding in the back of an ambulance while writing this

I’m riding in the back of an ambulance while writing this sentence. This has to be the craziest place I’ve written a newsletter from.

I’m not sick, hurt, or in any medical need. I’m also not licensed to work here.

What on earth am I doing riding with an EMT and paramedic on a 24-hour work shift?

This is a wild story and I attribute it to Matthew Dicks and his, “Say yes” philosophy. It’s also how I ended up on a blind date 10 hours from home, but that’s another story.

Say yes

Almost everyone I know encourages people to say “no” more often.

“Say ‘no’ to that job, more will come.”

“Say ‘no’ to your friend, you need time for you.”

“Say ‘no’ to DJing their wedding, it might end badly.”

They tell us to say “no” so you have time for yourself, to work on your projects, or so people stop taking advantage of your time. You’ll get spread too thin. Take time for yourself. Stop being a people pleaser.

I believe this is some of the worst advice we’ve ever been told.

In the little things, maybe. Say “no” to 30 minutes of searching for a new wallpaper for your phone.

But here’s the thing. When you say “no” you shut down any potential opportunities that could come.

It’s like improv. If you say “There’s a pink elephant behind that door.” And I say “No there isn’t.” Immediately the potential story is dead. But if I respond with “Yeah and I heard it’s the size of a small dog” you now have something to build off of.

“No” leads to nowhere. We need to dislodge this mindset. We need to start saying “Yes.” We need to try new things. A “Yes” can lead you to people and places you never would have imagined. You never know what kind of stories and life experiences you will have while riding along in the back of an ambulance.

Speaking of which, how did I pull that off? Not just anyone can hop on a 24-hour shift with medical professionals.

My friend is a paramedic, which helps. We were talking about 6 months ago about “ride-alongs.” This is where someone interested in becoming an EMT can ride along for part of a shift to see if they would like to pursue it further. I told my friend that sounded awesome and I would love to do that. Except, I told him, I wasn’t interested in pursuing EMT work, I just thought it would be cool.

6 months later he sent me a message. “Hey, were you serious about wanting to do a ride-along?” (That text message has become surprisingly common) I said, “Yes, I’d be down.” I made sure to clarify again that I wasn’t particularly planning on pursuing EMT work, but he said that was fine.

So here I am, pondering just how wild it is that one minute I’m wondering where I will have lunch, and the next minute a 911 call comes in and we are hurdling to the rescue. Like, that’s never been a “normal” chain of events in my life. I’ve never been around people who one minute can go from discussing chik-fi-la and the next be saving someone’s life. Like what? This is insane. These people are a whole different breed of awesome.

Why say yes?

I know what you are thinking. “Austin, this is a great story, but some of us don’t have opportunities like that.” To which I say, “Start making opportunities, stop making excuses.” This whole thing started months ago, in a casual conversation that my friend casually mentioned to his supervisor, who surprisingly said it was ok. These opportunities are all over the place, start sending feelers out there. Let people know you’re up for an adventure. Then when they come back and ask “Where you serious?” you have an opportunity. Say “Yes.”

The next thing you're saying is probably “Yeah, but like why should I say ‘Yes’ to all this stuff? I’m busy, won’t I eventually get overwhelmed, or have something terrible happen?” That’s a real possibility. But remember, you can always back out later if you change your mind.

But more importantly, do you want stories? Let’s be real for a second here, just how many awesome adventures have you been on? Let me tell you something I hope you and I never forget.

The 100-year-old version of yourself on his deathbed won’t wish you had fewer crazy stories. He would tell you to DJ that wedding, go on the blind date, and ride along with an ambulance. Because someday, you won’t be able to. Someday there won’t be time. Someday, you’ll be wishing you still had those opportunties, but they will be lost forever.

So when my friend messages me and says “Hey, were you serious about going on a blind date?” I’ve never been on a date in my life, but I say “Yes.”

When my brother says “Dude, let’s start a drop shipping business, you in?” I have no idea what that means, but I say “Yes.”

When my friend tells me “Hey, if I figure out a way for you to ride along on the ambulance, would you want to?” I’m terrified beyond imagination, but I say “Yes.”

Because saying “yes” always leads to something more. It always expands your realm of possibility and influence. You never know where a “yes” will take you. Who you will meet because of it or what stories you will tell.

Result

From this simple “yes” I got to see my friend in his element. I got to understand him in a whole new way. We spend close to 1/3 of our life working. That’s a huge amount of my friend’s life that I would have never understood or seen. Now I can dialog with him about his work and understand what he’s talking about.

I got to interact with 4 patients, one of which would have died if not for a critical decision my friend made. I got to stroll into ER operating rooms and watch while they prepared for surgery. I got to watch a husband talk to his pregnant wife, only to realize that if we had been 20 minutes later, those would have been the last words he spoke to her.

I got to see the world through their eyes and see how they respond under stress. I learned valuable information about responding to an emergency situation and what to do. I learned someone born in 2009 is legal to drive and now I feel old.

You never know where a “yes” will take you. I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything. I plan on having many more just like it.

You can too.