No is a bad answer

I say no because people don't know how crazy their ideas are.

It is always tempting to assume that everyone knows what I know. They don't. They can't. They may never know what my life or my job is really like. It is up to me to fill them in. If someone is asking for something that seems impossible, remember that they don't know it is impossible. It is up to me to tell them...not just that it is currently impossible, but a few ways that it could be made possible.

Before I say no, I need to think about 3 ways that I can say yes; thinking about 3 options that would make it possible. The beauty of this way is that more often than not, if it is impossible, the person asking will realize it and say no for me. Now, I don't have to be defensive; I' just stating the facts. Not only that, I am a team player with options; looking out for the best interests of the team I am on.