JUST ONE THING
Don't Avoid "NO!"
Episode 37
With Rick White, 180BIZ
What I want to talk to you about is the word “No.” We avoid no at all costs. I'm going to tell you that “No” could and should be your friend. “No” does so many great things for you. It allows you to reflect. That's the first thing you should do with a “No.” Not avoid it. Not pretend it didn't happen or don't blame somebody or something for it. That's not what the “No” is there for.
I want you to understand that the “No” is a gift just waiting to be opened up. And if you will REFLECT on the “No,” not to kick your own butt, but to step back and ask yourself, “What could I have done better? What can I learn from this?” so that next time it's a yes. The first thing I want you to do is reflect, recognize that “No” is a gift. Most of the time when you're getting a “No,” when you're used to getting a yes, it's because you're taking shortcuts. If you step back and reflect and look at what you're doing differently, you're going to find where you're dropping the ball. It will allow you to step up because here's what happens if you ignore the “No.” If you blame someone for the “No,” you're going to get a whole bunch more “No’s.” I want you to understand that you must step back and learn from these things. Reflect and grow from the “No.”
The second thing I want you to do is REDIRECT. When someone says, “No,” don't stare at the door that just got shut. Start looking immediately for your next opportunity. “No” stands for “Next Opportunity.” I want you to redirect. Don't stand there staring at the door. If it isn't happening, it wasn't supposed to. Don't think that's the end. There's nothing else left because that is totally not true. You must be able to immediately, as soon as that door closes, start looking around for either an open door or another open window. So that's your next opportunity. Don't stare and stare and stare at it and feel bad or feel like a failure. “No's” are not fatal. “No’s” are gifts that allow us to learn and to become better. So the second thing I want you to do is redirect your vision, redirect your focus on the next opportunity.
So first we REFLECT, then we REDIRECT. Then the third thing you're going to do is REROUTE. Sometimes you need to change paths. Sometimes you're not doing the right thing. Sometimes you're barking up the wrong tree. I don't know how to say this any other way, but what's happening is you're going down the wrong path. And instead of continuing down that path reflect on it.
Do I need to learn more from this? Do I need to step back and do something different? Where's my next opportunity? I guarantee you, there is another opportunity. The only thing that you are entitled to in life is opportunity.
And I'm going to tell you another secret. There are opportunities all around you, even when you don't think they're there, they are. There are opportunities all around you. You just have to be aware. Start looking for them. Sometimes you need to REROUTE when you’re going down the wrong path. You're chasing the wrong person. You're looking at the wrong opportunity. It's not a good fit. And instead of stepping back and recognizing and accepting that you're trying to fit a square peg in a round hole, and that's frustrating. And at some point, we break the toy. So instead when you get a “No,” I want you to reflect and redirect and sometimes reroute. Our lives are filled with challenges and opportunities and whatever we focus on, we get more of them.
Most all of us, at some point in our lives, get stuck looking at the wrong stuff, focused on the wrong stuff. We're looking for more and more challenges in our lives. When instead we should be focused on the opportunities, the joy, the gratitude, the gifts that we have in our lives, that we should be so grateful for. I want you to be ever grateful and always hungry because when you come from a place of gratitude, you come from a place of abundance and that's where you start to see more and more opportunities.
The next time you get a “No,” please step back and REFLECT. What was my part in this “No?” What can I do better? What can I learn from this? Then REDIRECT. Don't stare at the closed door and then REROUTE. Sometimes you're going down the wrong path. Don't get stuck in what's called a sunk cost bias where you just keep throwing good money after bad, trying to force something to work. It doesn't.
I hope you have an amazing day and an amazing week. Stay focused on where you're going. Finish this year strong and use this month as a springboard to create the year that you've been dreaming of. You have more power than you think you do. And it's up to you.
Take care, God bless, and go make some money!
