Saying No Sayings and Quotes

Below you will find our collection of inspirational, wise, and humorous old saying no quotes, saying no sayings, and saying no proverbs, collected over the years from a variety of sources.

You see, we conservatives don't have a corner on saying no. We're just the ones who say it when it's the right thing to say. Mitt Romney
Of course, the president accuses us of being the party of no. It's as if he thinks that by saying no, it's by definition a bad thing. In fact, as you know, it's right and praiseworthy to say no to bad things. Mitt Romney
Neither party has been willing to say no to the people who want more from the government. Saying yes wins votes. Saying no means concession speeches. Mitt Romney
Never allow a person to tell you no who doesn't have the power to tell you yes. Eleanor Roosevelt
The art of leadership is saying no, not saying yes. It is very easy to say yes. Tony Blair
To say yes, you have to sweat and roll up your sleeves and plunge both hands into life up to the elbows. It is easy to say no, even if saying no means death. Jean Anouilh
Go not to the elves for counsel, for they will say both no and yes. J.R.R. Tolkien
The formula for my happiness: a Yes, a No, a straight line, a goal. Friedrich Nietzsche
No one ever went broke by saying 'no' too often. Harvey Mackay
I'm as proud of many things we haven't done as the things we have done. Innovation is saying no to a thousand things. Steve Jobs
Focus is about saying No. And the result of that focus is going to be some really great products where the total is much greater than the sum of the parts. Steve Jobs
It comes from saying no to 1,000 things to make sure we don't get on the wrong track or try to do too much. Steve Jobs
'Yes,' and 'No' are small words but produce great things. German Proverb
One person's 'no' is valued more than another's 'yes' because a gilded 'no' satisfies far more than a blunt 'yes' Baltasar Gracian
So c'mon folks; get ready to celestially fulfill your every dream; get ready to take over the entire conventional planet for the cause of immortal love; get ready to transform this world once again into an enchanting paradise; but before you could do anything; get ready to look the devil in his eye; and say a big no. Nikhil Parekh
Let today mark a new beginning for you. Give yourself permission to say NO without feeling guilty, mean, or selfish. Anybody who gets upset or expects you to say yes all of the time clearly doesn’t have your best interest at heart. Always remember: You have a right to say no without having to explain yourself. Be at peace with your decisions. Stephanie Lahart
The oldest, shortest words – ‘yes’ and ‘no’ – are those which require the most thought. Pythagoras
One key to successful relationships is learning to say no without guilt so that you can say yes without resentment. Bill Crawford
You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage pleasantly, smilingly, and non-apologetically – to say no to other things. And the way to do that is by having a bigger yes burning inside. Stephen Covey
Freedom comes when you learn to let go, creation comes when you learn to say no. Madonna Ciccone
Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity. W.Clement Stone
It takes true courage and real humility to say no. Ernest Agyemang Yeboah
Sometimes no is the kindest word. Vironika Tugaleva
Real freedom is saying 'no' without giving a reason. Amit Kalantri
When others are not okay with your NO's, they should not be allowed around for the YES's either. Christine E. Szymanski
Saying ‘no’ to your children, when appropriate, is an act of love. Frank Sonnenberg
Very successful people say no to almost everything. Warren Buffett
One of the most painfully inauthentic ways we show up in our lives sometimes is saying 'yes' when we mean 'no,' and saying 'no' when we mean 'hell yes.' Brene Brown
'No' is a word that must never be negotiated, because the person who chooses not to hear it is trying to control you... Declining to hear 'no' is a signal that someone is either seeking control or refusing to relinquish it. Gavin de Becker
A dishonest yes is a no to yourself. Byron Katie