Sometimes, no can be a fun word. Like when a dad is swinging his five year old for the first time and the child wants to go higher but can't stop saying no. No can also be an exciting word. Like when it's shouted in disbelief after winning something. Unfortunately, for most of us, no is a depressing word, a sad word, a word that ultimately means rejection.
I don't know about you but I hear it every single day. I hear it at home when my 5 year old daughter is screaming at her older sister in an attempt to stop her from trying to take back her iPhone. I hear it from my friends who are often too busy with their own lives to get together for a game of basketball. I hear it from the policeman when asking for a warning, the DirecTV call center agent when asking if I get ESPN3 and the mechanic when wondering if my truck checked out okay. I even hear it from my own mom when I ask her if I was her favorite. Kidding aside, no is a popular word in my circles.
While hearing no from these and similar individuals does have a negative effect on my mood, none hurt quite as much as hearing no from a customer. Why is that?
Starting and running
+Temptoy is a blast. However, each time a potential investor tells me that altering the mindset of boat owners is a goal unlikely to succeed, my mood turns melancholy for a day or two. When a boat rental facility gives me a no when asking if they would list their boats, it's like a knife in my back. And every time a potential stakeholder fails to return my email, I start to question the business. Bottom line, every no is accompanied by a desire to quit.
I will of course evaluate my methods and constantly improve the business plan. These items could certainly play a significant role in the number of times any entrepreneur hears the word no but what else can I do?
I recently realized that I control these negative thoughts. Just like getting teased in middle school for having an abnormally large head, I should use each no as a tool to thicken my skin. I tell my kids that they will get rejected but that also getting rejected will make them stronger. Why can't I apply that to business? Temptoy is moving forward by securing investors, receiving more listed watercraft and getting more customers; so why stop? If getting a no only makes me stronger, moving forward my new mantra will be bring on the no's!
I think what makes a person truly successful is not determined by the frequency in which they hear the word yes but rather the number of no's they survived.
