Rejection Is Part of Entrepreneurship. Here's How to Handle It. Successful entrepreneurs say "no" to most offers. Those are exactly the people you're trying to do business with.
By Kimanzi Constable Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
In our minds, we understand that we'll experience rejection in our lives and as we build our businesses. But when it happens, it's a completely different scenario. Whether it's a "tiny" rejection or a major bump in the road, it's very easy to get lost in the overwhelming feeling of loss. One rejection can easily lead to days (or more) of ignoring business tasks while you binge-watching your favorite Netflix series.
If you are taking action on accomplishing your goals, you will experience rejection constantly. If you aren't, you have to ask yourself if you're taking big enough steps. Growth happens when you step outside of your comfort zone to do the things that scare you. In that place, rejection is possible. Here are four things to do when you experience rejection.
Related: Stories of Rejection From 8 of the World's Most Successful Entrepreneurs and Leaders
Take a moment to scream.
You're human. You can try bottling all those feelings and emotions inside but good luck with that strategy. At some point, you'll explode -- probably in a situation that you regret. Let your humanity out. Scream, go for a run, punch your mini desktop punching bag.
Talk out loud even if you're alone and acknowledge exactly what's on your mind. Talk to your significant other or a friend. Bring it up to your mastermind meeting. The point is, to heal you have to first acknowledge. You can't fix a problem that you won't admit is there.
Related: She Was Told 'No' 100 Times. Now This 30-Year-Old Female Founder Runs a $1 Billion Business.
Evaluate the "why" behind the rejection.
Our minds put rejection in the "not good for us" category but that's not always the case. Life is our greatest teacher. Rejection offers us the opportunity to make sure what we're doing is right for us. Evaluate why the rejection came. Determine if this is something you really want to do, but need a better approach with.
If you need more expertise, get it. If this is a warning message for you telling you that what you're pursuing is not what's best, listen. After you're done processing your feelings and emotions, get tactical by examining what happened. A rejection can be a bump in the road or worse. What happens next is your choice. I vote for learning and coming back even stronger.
Related: 10 Blessings That Come Hidden in Rejection, Losing and Failure
Determine your next steps.
Your next steps after a rejection have to be strategic and tactical. Take a few days to plan out what to do next. If it's getting more expertise, be specific about how to do that and attach a timeline to it. If it's creating a different approach to go after the same opportunity, take some time to examine what others before you have done that helped them achieve success.
Use each rejection to fuel your motivation.
It takes a lot to build a business. There will be more than a few times when you're just not feeling it. You'll need to be inspired and motivated to keep going when it feels like nothing is going right. There's a mindset shift that can give you the fuel you need consistently get motivated. Use each rejection as fire to light you up and motivate you.
Every experience in life offers a lesson. Those lessons help you become the best version of yourself. Shift the way you view rejection. Get even more determined to accomplish that goal. Use the rejection as your motivation to continue doing the work. At the end of the day, doing the work consistently is what builds your business and accomplishes your goals -- it's not your feelings and emotions.
Experiencing rejection doesn't have to be the end of our story. Change your story and you can change your life. You have a choice to make and you should never choose anything that takes away your inner power. View rejection as a lesson and get tactical about what you'll do next. This is your life and you only get one of them. Make each experience and decision count.
