Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:39 — 1.6MB)
Get Notified Of Future Episodes Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Blubrry | Gaana | TuneIn | Deezer | Anghami | RSS | More
Topics discussed:
00:05 – This company rejected me at a critical point in my life
00:41 – The main lesson is this
00:57 – Have you been rejected and triumphed?
Quotables:
Don’t take no for an answer. [Click To Tweet].
Sometimes a “No” sets you up for a better “Yes.” [Click To Tweet].
Transcription:
Hey James here and I’m actually parked at a Toyota Dealership in Chatswood. It’s a suburb in Sydney, and when I was 23 years old I actually went for a sales job here. I worked across the road in the building in a clerical job and I wanted to sell. The guy here interviewed me and said that I was good but he actually chose somebody else and I got rejected.
But I went down the road to the BMW dealer and got a job selling BMWs and within 12 months, I was the number 1 salesperson in the whole country. So the guy at Toyota I guess probably made a bad decision.
But the main lesson is this: I didn’t take no for an answer and I said alright, I’m going to go and aim a little bit higher and I went for the BMW brand and I’m actually really happy that I ended up with BMW which then lead to Mercedes-Benz instead of getting that job at Toyota.
Ever been rejected?
The Main Point
Main point: sometimes a “No” sets you up for a better “Yes.” I hope this has been helpful. Perhaps you could comment right near this video.
Have you had an instance where you got rejected and then came through and triumphed? Have you had a Walt Disney moment or a Colonel Sanders moment? Let me know your comments right near this video. I’m James Schramko.
Want more episodes? Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes
Leave your comments below.
Great video James. I have had many instances over the past 20 years where I have set a particular goal and I have been rejected in my quest for achievementl. Not once did I ever give up based on that rejection. I just re-adjusted my strategy and went on to achieve what I set out to do.
wow awesome Amanda!
Retrenchment certainly feels like being rejected, especially after 18 years with the company! But it allowed me to create my own business and I doubt I would have even attempted half of the things I have achieved over the last five years (including spending 8 weeks in Europe with my husband and boys) if I had stayed.
So, I agree – “No” can certainly lead to a better “yes”!
Awesome Michelle!
As a young man climbing the corporate ladder of a company in U.K. I was in a position which was supposed to be for 2 years followed by a move to the next promotion. As it was probably the least desirable position in the company there was difficulty in me moving out of the job.
The result was my resignation and a move to the other end of the world. The best thing that could have happened for me.
There were two interesting ( to me anyway ) things I learned :
1. My boss couldn’t understand that I would leave and go to the other end of the world especially without a job – He clearly hadn’t been listening. Lesson “Listen and take an interest in your people”
2. Family and friends said ” Good on you – You’ve always wanted to go there” Lesson – “Listen and pay attention to yourself, follow your passion !”
Thanks for the post James.
Wow. I used to work at Mosman Toyota. Now i’m kinda wishing they said no.
hahaha Michael you were obviously better qualified than me :)
Failure, mistakes and rejection are just part of the journey towards success.
We all know that Thomas Edison failed more than 1,000 times when he tried to create the light bulb.
I think the key is to not take it personally and move on. Opportunity is everywhere is we really want it!
Having been outbid at auction this weekend for a house I really wanted, this is just what I needed to hear. Thanks James.
Rick you will probably find a better one!
This may be my favorite vid ever from you! I “collect” stories of resilience and this is a good one. Thanks for sharing – and good camera work by your 10-year-old. :)
My story: right out of grad school I applied for an advanced degree program at UC Berkeley’s law school. I was rejected – and crushed. I got a job instead and re-applied in three years… And when I got in, I realized I had no desire to go to school for four more years – or to get a PhD in law. I had applied only because I didn’t know what else to do other than go to school.
That “No” forced me to sink or swim in “the real world,” where I learned I could survive just fine.
Well done Lain – and thank you.
Hi James,
What an awesome story :)
After my first year of Uni (economics/history), I came home and worked for College Pro Painters for a week, while painting the second story of of a house on an inclined driveway my partner stopped holding the ladder and I came down, (carving a nice dent all the way down the front of the home and spraining my ankle), I was fired. I then picked up a job at a Golf Club training as a wine steward in cottage country and met my future wife…..thank goodness I was a terrible painter :)…still suck at it…but thankfully that’s what I pay painters are for now :)
Cheers and like the creative camera angle and location shoot :)
Tim
I applied for multiple SEO roles when I was working a tele-sales role in Sydney. I got knocked back, but this led to an internal promotion to a job that I love.
Better pay, a relocation up to Newcastle/Central Coast (which I love). My sales skills have grown considerably and so has my online income in that time.
Hey James. I have actually been rejected many times for many different careers I tried it just seemed that every time it worked out better than getting a job so the know was a good thing. Also, did you know there is a Chatsworth California. It’s right outside Los Angeles. Just Google Amtrak trail disaster in Chatsworth,
Thanks so much,
Alan
oh right cool Alan! (Chatswood here however it sounds similar)
Nice one James….that hit the spot! I appreciate your encouragement!
I first learnt rejection as a Uni student when I walked kilometres down Hunter St Newcastle asking for a job until the boss at Leonardo da Pizza said, “Can you start now”? I and 2 friends from 3 separate IT companies were retrenched on the same day in 2001! Home based businesses can give you a lot of rejection until you match up with a good one. Thanks Willem
This is awesome. I still remember your advice you gave me.
At 23 years old myself, I wanted to try out the big “car sales” and got a job at Toyota. I used to make less than $20,000 a year, and within the first month using your help I made $8,000.
I’ve been there 5 months and averaged just under $7,000 a month. I’ve saved 46% of all my income after taxes since working there.
I hope to be more in your shoes in the future (business owner) and continue to grow. The hours are starting to kill me at the dealership (can’t build a business working like that) but randomly working at a car dealership in sales is one of the best things that ever happened to me from what I have learned.
I appreciate your help back in January and I had no idea you first went to a Toyota dealership!
Well Done TJ!
Well put James.
Going for no is a valuable concept and failing sets one up to learn from the situation.
Take baseball for example. Hitting 1/10 is reasonable, 2/10 is good, more than that and you are headed to the all-star game.
Many are afraid to try because they are worried about the “no” or failing and miss out on the chance for greatness.