What if you just turned down a golden career opportunity—without even realizing it?

There’s an old parable about a man stranded at sea, praying for God to save him. A boat appears, but he declines help, saying, "No thanks, I’m waiting for God to save me." Another boat comes, then a helicopter, but he refuses them all. Eventually, he drowns. When he reaches heaven and asks God why he wasn’t saved, God replies, "I sent you two boats and a helicopter."

This is exactly how career opportunities appear in today’s world of work. The question is: are you recognizing them for what they are, or are you saying “no” to something that could have been a transformative “yes”?

Opportunities Don’t Always Look Like Opportunities

The best career moves rarely come as neatly defined job postings. More often, they emerge in conversations you’re not in—when people discuss a need and consider who might be the right fit. These moments don’t follow structured hiring processes. They happen through projects, assignments, emerging teams, industry connections, and sometimes entirely new roles.

What makes these opportunities valuable is that they reflect a deeper, more nuanced understanding of skills and potential than a resume ever could. People don’t always present them as job offers. Instead, they come as, “You should talk to this person” or “I have a feeling you’d be a great fit.” A colleague might invite you to contribute to a high-visibility project that seems outside your skill set. A leader might suggest you take on a stretch assignment before you feel ready. Or someone might connect you with an opportunity you hadn’t even considered. These connections aren’t random; they happen because someone sees something in you—something you may not even recognize in yourself.

Yet, too often, we hesitate. The opportunity doesn’t look like a traditional next step, it doesn’t fit into the career path we’ve envisioned, or it requires stepping into something unfamiliar. And so, we say no. But by doing so, we risk missing career-defining moments that could shape our future in ways we never anticipated.

What I Learned From Saying Yes

Some of the most significant career moments don’t happen through careful planning—they happen when we say yes to something unexpected. Embracing uncertainty has led to opportunities I never would have considered.

Over a decade ago, a colleague encouraged me to start a blog. My first reaction? "I don’t know how to write," and "Who would read this?" But I took the leap and discovered not only a platform for my ideas but also a distinct professional voice—something many professionals uncover when they step beyond their defined roles.

Later, when a newspaper invited me to turn that blog into a weekly column, I hesitated again. It was a big commitment, and I wasn’t sure I had the time. But by pure coincidence, I was too busy at that moment to respond, so I asked them to check back later. Having given it more thought, I realized I had more to say than I initially believed. That column, which started with a hesitant yes, is now celebrating a decade.

The same happened when I was invited to join a podcast team covering the hi-tech ecosystem. It didn’t seem like a logical next step but by then, I had learned to question my instinct to say no. That decision didn’t just expand my understanding of technology and innovation—it broadened my network and perspective, ultimately preparing me to launch my own podcast years later—an opportunity I never could have predicted.

What I’ve learned from saying yes is this: opportunities rarely arrive in familiar packaging or perfect timing. But when we trust that others sometimes see our potential before we do, we open doors we never planned for—and often, those are the most valuable ones.

How To Start Saying Yes More Often

The best career moves often arrive disguised as something uncertain. Learning to say yes starts with recognizing them for what they are. Instead of assuming you’re not the right fit, ask:

  • Why did you think of me for this?
  • What skills or qualities made you believe I could contribute?
  • How does this connect to what I do—or where I want to grow?

Over time, patterns will emerge—people will repeatedly associate you with strengths outside your formal job description. If you frequently hear, “This team needs someone who asks the right questions” or “You always bring people together to create a shared vision,” those are signals about how others perceive your unique value.

If your first instinct is to say no, pause. Instead, respond with: "I’ll think about it and get back to you tomorrow." Then, ask yourself:

  • What’s the worst that could happen?
  • What could I learn from this?
  • If I actually went for it, what would that look like?

In most cases, you’ll realize you already have what it takes, and you may even start to feel excited about the challenge. And remember, saying yes doesn’t mean committing forever. It means being open to possibilities and giving yourself permission to explore.

Saying Yes To The Future

As technology reshapes industries, the definition of expertise is shifting. The most valuable skills today aren’t just technical knowledge, but the ability to navigate change, connect ideas, and embrace new challenges.

The reality is, we don’t yet have a structured way to capture the nuances of our most valuable human skills—like adaptability, strategic thinking, and leadership—on a resume. But even if we can’t always define them, we recognize them in each other. We know who to turn to when we need someone to challenge our thinking, who can break down complex ideas, or who can bring diverse teams together.

And because we recognize those skills in others, we also make connections based on human value, not just job titles.

So, the next time an unexpected opportunity comes your way, don’t dismiss it too quickly.

It may be exactly what your career needs.