Have you ever looked at your calendar, packed to the brim with back-to-back meetings and administrative tasks, and wondered why you feel so far away from your biggest professional goals?

As a coach, I see this exact scenario play out every week with brilliant, high-achieving professionals. You want to prove your value, so you say yes to every committee, every extra project, and every "quick favor" a colleague asks of you.

But here is the hard truth: saying "yes" to low-value tasks leaves zero energy for high-impact leadership opportunities.