No.
Maybe another time.
I’m flattered, but I have to pass.
No.
I’m not sure that’s for me.
I must say no.
I appreciate the offer, but I can’t.
No.
I’ll have to check my schedule.
I’m not available.
Can I get back to you on that?
No.
That won’t be possible.
No.
Let’s think about it some more.
No.
Absolutely not.
No.
I’m going to have to decline.
Thank you for thinking of me, but I won’t be able to.
No.
I’m not the best person for that.
Unfortunately, it’s not a good time.
I can’t agree to that.
Let me think it over, and I’ll let you know.
I’d prefer not to, thanks.
No.
No.
No.
No.
OK, yes. Let’s do it.
I have heard no, every day. Multiple times a day. For 10 years.
And after a lot of nos, hopefully, there is a yes. But some days, that yes never comes.
Every no feels like a failure. And, it is.
It’s a sale you didn’t make. An agreement you couldn’t reach. A candidate rejecting your job offer. A client firing you. Something going wrong.
I’ve heard no more times than I can count. I heard no today. I’ll hear no tomorrow.
But after enough nos, I will hear a yes. When? I don’t know.
If you own a business, you get used to hearing no. Sometimes just a couple, sometimes many.
At the end of the day, though, I don’t quit. It just means I am closer to my next yes.
Each yes means a new client. A new agreement with a partner. A new employee joining the team. A new funding source. Something going right.
Every no is an opportunity for improvement. It could be in my pitch. My product. My negotiation skills.
What did I do wrong? Not my team – me. Where I fail. How can I adapt? Overcome.
The yes will come. It may not be today. Or tomorrow. Or the next day. But, eventually, it will come.
Keep going.
#opportunity #failure #persistence #business #success #rejection #adaptation #opportunityknocks #opportunityisknocking #opportunityofalifetime