Yes, And: Rethinking the Limits We Place on Ourselves

During my MBA program, I was part of the Improv Club, where we’d meet every week to play improv games.

One of the core principles of improv is “Yes, And.” It’s a simple but powerful rule: accept what another improviser has stated ("yes") and then build upon it ("and"). It encourages openness, creativity, and the willingness to explore beyond the obvious.

This principle came to mind recently when I caught up with a friend who mentioned that my former MBA classmate and housemate, Sammi, had gained influencer status—with over 260K subscribers on Instagram.

What? How? When?

I had so many questions.

When I looked into it, I learned that since 2022, Sammi has been posting daily short videos demystifying the latest business ‘lore.’ I knew she worked at Amazon after we graduated from business school in 2020.

Is she still working full-time? Amazon can be a pretty intense place…

A quick glance at her LinkedIn profile and a recent interview, How to Build an Audience of 250K and Keep Your Day Job, confirmed it—she had built her massive following while juggling a full-time job.

Having known Sammi, I wasn’t surprised by her drive. She’s a go-getter. But still, I was impressed.

Getting to learn more about her success and specifically how she’s been able to do both inspired me to reexamine my own life and my belief systems around the prerequisite to success.

The Trap of "Either-Or" Thinking

I realized that I’ve often operated with an “Either-Or” mindset:

• Either I work a corporate job or I start my own business.

• Either I pursue a successful career or I prioritize family.

• Either I take a creative risk or I play it safe.

This way of thinking isn’t unique to me. We see it everywhere:

• Either finish your homework now, or you can’t go out with your friends later.

• Either go on vacation, or save for a house.

It’s easy to see why “Either-Or” thinking is our default. It simplifies decision-making. It’s clear-cut. You pick one, and you move on. But what if that’s an illusion?

The Power of “Yes, And” Thinking

Sammi didn’t choose between having a job or building an audience—she did both. She embraced the "Yes, And" mindset.

Her journey made me ask myself: Where in my life have I been limiting myself with false choices?

What if instead of assuming we have to choose between two paths, we ask:

• How can I have a stable job and explore my entrepreneurial ambitions?

• How can I be career-driven and cultivate deep personal relationships?

• How can I take creative risks and maintain security?

The boundaries of “Yes, And” may feel incredibly ambiguous, and that can be uncomfortable. But what possibilities are we shutting out when we limit ourselves to just two options?

What If We Embrace The Possibilities?

Psychologists call this the Either-Or Fallacy (False Dilemma)—when we assume there are only two choices and fail to recognize a third (or fourth, or fifth) alternative.

But what if we challenged that way of thinking?

What if, rather than limiting ourselves, we started saying "Yes, And" to life?

What would our world look like then?