The Power of Yet

One simple word can change the whole direction of a thought.

Yet.

With the speed at which things happen nowadays, it is normal to want results immediately. The job, the promotion, the contract, the decision, the recognition.

But the reality is that some things require a process. They do not happen overnight. They require dedication, intention, consistency, and timing.

I often hear leaders say things like:

• “Fabiana, I didn’t get the promotion.”
• “Fabiana, I didn’t close the contract.”
• “Fabiana, the stakeholder did not buy in.”

On the surface, these sound like simple observations. But internally, they can land as conclusions.

When someone says, “I didn’t get the promotion,” the brain can receive it as final. Like the story is complete. Like the result already defined what is possible.

In a recent conversation, I could hear this in my client’s tone.

He had not received the promotion he wanted, and the way he was speaking about it carried defeat. Not just disappointment. Defeat.

And that matters.

Disappointment can still move. Defeat starts to withdraw.

The problem was not only that he did not get the promotion. The problem was that, from that emotional state, he was at risk of showing up below the level of the person who eventually gets promoted.

And he was close.

This was not the time to retreat or slow down. This was the time to stay in the process with more clarity and intention.

So I invited him to add one word.

Yet.

“I didn’t get the promotion yet.”

The shift was immediate. His face softened. His energy changed. The story opened again.

Not in a naive way. Not pretending the result did not matter. But in a way that returned him to possibility and ownership.

From there, we were able to look at the situation differently. What feedback mattered? What visibility was needed? What relationships needed more trust? What leadership behaviors needed to be demonstrated more consistently?

We still could not control the timeline.

And that was not the point.

The point was to return him to what he could influence: how he leads, how he prepares, how he communicates, and how he continues to show up.

That is the power of yet.

It does not deny reality. It keeps reality open.

Your turn:

What are you treating as final that may simply not be complete yet?

Enjoy your clarity.