I used to think a yes meant something. That when an investor committed $500K, they would follow through. That when a potential customer said they’d use a product, they’d actually use it. That when a co-founder was excited to start a venture, they’d put in the work.

I was wrong.

Decisions made too easily lose their weight. When saying yes is frictionless, it stops being a true commitment. So is a yes always agreement, or is it just a product of convenience?

The Problem With Easy Yes

Too often, people say yes because it costs them nothing in the moment. An investor nods along in a meeting, but without a term sheet, it’s just words. A customer signs up for a beta test, but without engagement, they’re just another number. A co-founder is enthusiastic, but when the work gets tough, they disappear.

This isn’t deception. It’s human nature. People want to be agreeable. They want to keep doors open, avoid confrontation, and leave themselves options. But an easy yes doesn’t mean commitment. It just means the decision was too effortless to be real.

The Power of a Meaningful Yes

A real yes is expensive. It requires friction, effort, and something on the line. When yes is hard, it carries weight.

If an investor truly believes in your startup, they will wire the money. If a customer actually wants your product, they will use it without a nudge. If a co-founder is serious, they will show up and do the work. No chasing required.

The key is to make yes mean something. Require action. Set a price, whether it’s money, time, or effort. Make people prove their commitment before you count on it.

Broader Applications

This isn’t just about startups. It applies to everything. I’ve seen it in school, in relationships, in my career. Easy commitments fade. Real ones require investment.

A friend says they’ll be there but never shows. A teammate says they’ll do the work but leaves you carrying the load. A professor says they support your project but never follows through. It’s the same pattern everywhere. A commitment with no friction is just a polite way to keep options open.

For me, the shift was simple. Stop convincing people to say yes. Instead, create an environment where a yes has to be earned. If someone agrees when there’s a cost, they mean it.

Make yes hard. Make yes expensive. Make yes work. Because when you do, the people who say it will actually follow through.