4 Ways “No” Moves You Forward
“We took our idea [for the computer] to a few companies, one where Woz worked [Hewlett-Packard] and one where I worked at the time [Atari]. Neither one was interested in pursuing it, so we started our own company.” Steve Jobs
Apple Computer started after Atari and HP said, “No.” It’s dumb to desire rejection. but imagine what might not have happened if Hewlett-Packard said yes.
“No” moves you forward when:
#1. It clarifies motivation.
“The reason we [Woz and I] built a computer is that we wanted one, and we couldn’t afford to buy one.” Steve Jobs
Jobs and Woz did what they wanted to do.
Pressures at work cause forgetfulness. You lose motivation when you forget what you want to do. Even if you don’t like work, it’s good to remember it’s fulfilling to provide for people you love.
Sometimes you don’t know what you want until you can’t have it.
#2. It eliminates possibilities.
I love options, but the easiest way to move forward is to have only one path to follow.
Possibilities paralyze people. Skilled sales people give you either/or decisions. Do you prefer X or Y? Jobs and Woz started Apple because other options didn’t work.
“The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.” Warren Buffett
#3. It prompts innovation.
People tell you what won’t work. Innovation begins when you say, “But what might work?”
Rejection is redirection.
#4. It ignites learning.
Knowers don’t learn. Learning begins with, “I don’t know.” Sometimes when people say, “I don’t know,” I say, “But if you did know…”
A closed door is an invitation to learn.
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” Winston Churchill
What are some advantages to rejection?
What are the best ways to respond to a door closing?
Still curious:
3 Ways to Respond to Failure: Get a Bigger Nail
How to Face Resistance to Your Great Ideas
I invite you to check out our book, The Vagrant.
What are some advantages of rejection?
Think Shark Tank. Rejection helps you reflect on how you presented your ideas as well as the facts, statistics, and emotional appeals you used to persuade the audience. What approach and data would have been more effective?
Rejection may mean you are trying to sell to the wrong audience.
Rejection may mean the dogs simply don’t like the dogfood.
Thanks, Paul. It doesn’t matter how much dog food you have if dogs don’t eat it. I like that you brought presenting/communication skills to the conversation.
Being told ‘no’ can also force you to think, ‘why is it no’? ‘What can I do to get a yes’? As Churchill said, “failure is not fatal.” However, if we don’t have a great deal of motivation and determination, it can be.
A time of structured reflection is most useful when it results in a new plan. Thanks for adding your insights, Danielle.
One of the most used lines I give to new Sales People is “The No is not a rejection of (insert their name here), because they don’t know you. They are saying no to the company or product” “They will have a hard time saying No once they know you because they will trust your opinion”. The No is very easy to say without trust, so build trust.