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Not Taking “No” For an Answer


 

As a new business owner, there are many avenues that you will take in order to bring your vision to life. There will also be many situations where you will hear “no” more frequently than you hear yes. What you need to remember is that champion entrepreneurs never take “no” for an answer – they take it as a challenge to show what they can truly do. Granted, there will be instances where you’ll be hit a wall and may not have the opportunity to further gain insight to strengthen your next entrepreneurial approach. However, those are the moments where you will need to stay positive, document the details of the approach, and consider reconfiguring your delivery

Take a step forward and try the following concepts to combat the ramifications of rejection:


1. Evaluate the “why” behind the rejection, but don’t overthink.

You could be building your own business or in a position within a business that requires you to update certain elements of the business. In either role, you will be required to formulate new ideas and implement them. What happens when you launch an idea and you don’t get any positive feedback or any feedback at all? Or what happens when you pitch an idea you’ve been working on for an ample amount of time and your boss shoots your idea down without a second thought. In most circumstances, you’ll take those forms of rejection as a sign that it’s just not going to work, when in reality you should take advantage of the time and ask for further insight. To my business owners, speak to your audience directly. Be Transparent. Ask them what they want to hear. Educate them by providing further insight. Your audience likes to feel included so providing them with an opportunity to give their opinion will not only provide you with insight but will also nurture the relationships with your future clientele. To my hardworking employees, stick around and ask your boss/employer additional questions to show them that you truly care about the idea as well as their opinion. This step will go a long way, especially if you’re planning to go back after some revisions.

2. Determine Your Next Steps


The steps you take following rejection need to be strategic and tactical for you to grow. Every experience in business offers a lesson. Those lessons will be factors that help you become an even better version of yourself for your business. If you need to take a few days or a week to plan out what your next move is then do just that. I would even recommend going the extra mile, speaking to an expert, and include a timeline to enforce a sense of urgency. If you’re not starting from scratch and simply creating a different approach to the same opportunity, take the time to do the research and examine what others in the industry have done that aided in their success.


Food for thought: If you’re constantly hearing “no” from the same crowd then it’s possible you are trying to sell your service or product the wrong crowd.


3. Don’t Take It Personal


First things first, there is nothing personal in business. If you find yourself going in to work with expectations such as how you should be received, what you should be getting in terms of credit and opportunity, or how others should behave towards you, then honey you are setting yourself up for failure every single time. The more you take things personally, the more difficult it will be to build authentic and fruitful professional relationships. Start asking yourself what certain situations really mean to you and if you should put so much mental and emotional energy into it. In all honesty, if it won’t matter to you or your business next month or next year, then why take it personally?


As much as our careers are intertwined in our everyday lives, creating a clear line of distinction between the two will greatly enrich them both separately without putting too much weight on one.


4. Use Rejection to Motivate Yourself


Regardless of where in your life you experience rejection, the effects are oftentimes the same. It happens to every one of us and can be painful. When you express what you feel, most times people will respond with “Don’t let it keep you down for too long” or “it happens to the best of us” and they are absolutely right but it’s one of those things that are much easier said than done. Finding motivation amidst rejection can be a challenging mindset to master however being coachable and allowing yourself to experience new opportunities to improve your work ethic and mental will greatly contribute to your journey of defeating rejection in its tracks. Do yourself a favor and don’t let your ego, pride, defensiveness, or smugness hinder your ability to become a boss at what you do. Instead take the time to consciously embrace receptiveness, confidence, and objectivity in your business and life endeavours. Rejection is an unavoidable part of life, and giving up signifies that you no longer believe in your strengths and capabilities. When thoughts of relinquish begin to surface, remind yourself that the more you try the more chances you’re giving yourself to succeed.


5. It’s okay to take a moment to scream and let it all out.


First and foremost, we are human. By nature, we want to keep things bottled up but when has that ever benefitted anyone. At some point down the line, you’re going to want to explode and may regret the consequence following that outcome. Let the humanity out. Punch a pillow, go for a jog, scream and let it out. For me, talking out loud, even when I’m alone has helped because it has led me to acknowledge the emotions at hand. Once I’ve taken a moment to fully confront my feelings, I think about what it’s going to take to propel forward. Ensuring that you don’t spend too much time dwelling, is what is going to keep you moving.

"Experiencing rejection will only be the end of your story if you let it. Change the narrative and change your life. “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” – Thomas Edison


 

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