Celebrate the "No"

Over the course of this year, we’ve heard more “NO’s” than we have in a long time. Part of it is that we’ve been submitting more work proposals than ever before.

I’ve been reflecting on my first three days — decades ago — trying to sell a product or service, coming home night after night with zero sales. At some point, I realized it was a numbers game.

Assuming you are approaching the right people, you can figure that for every 100 NOs you hear, you will most likely also hear YES from 1–10 people. As I continued to grow and work with thousands of businesses globally, I learned it is not just the numbers that make the difference.

Your attitude and the stories you tell yourself become vital.

In those early days, if someone told me NO, I became upset. Over the years, I’ve learned to celebrate when someone says NO — because that got me closer to my next YES!

I also learned that someone telling you NO is another reason to celebrate because they might not have been a good fit for you — not able to think like you, not able to work like you. Telling you NO is a blessing because they won’t drag you down with them.

Keep looking for those who lift you up and support you and celebrate those that say NO because it could be a blessing, even though you may not see it that way at the time.

I remember the first time I was selling a personal item — a car. The man who “bought” it paid with a bad check. I am thankful I didn’t take him to court to keep that negative energy in my life. Instead, I said: I’m going to find a different way to raise that money.

I’ve been blessed to have many wonderful people support me with positive energy throughout the years.

BEFORE YOU GO:

We see our blogs as opportunities for dialogue. Please share your thoughts as comments.

1. What can you celebrate when someone says NO?

2. How will you track your progress to the next YES?

3. What do you do to keep positive energy in your life?

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