Learning From Rejection

Jia Jang recently embarked on a 100-day mission. He deliberately courted rejection by doing things like asking a stranger for $100, requesting a burger refill at a restaurant, and asking for a haircut at PetSmart. Jang publishes the website “Rejection Therapy”  and is the CEO of Wuju Learning, a company that teaches people and organizations to become fearless through rejection training.


 Needless to say, Jia Jang got a lot of “no’s,” but he got some “yes’s” too. Most of all he gained a significant amount of self-knowledge, as shared in his Ted talk.

• If I didn't run when I got rejected but stuck around, I might be able to turn a ‘no’ into a ‘yes’. The magic trick was to ask, “Why?”
• If what I proposed was not what someone wanted, they might offer to refer me to someone who did want it.

• I was able to build trust by articulating any doubt the other person was having (e.g. “I can imagine you think this request is weird…”)
• It helped to remember that people who change the world are often initially met by rejection…even violent rejection.

The bottom line, says Jia Jang, is not to run the next time you are rejected. Instead consider the possibilities. “You can fulfill your life’s dream by simply asking.” 

What’s the best lesson you ever learned from rejection? To join the conversation, click "comments" on our Community of Practice Forum.

If you would like to read more about creating a habit around masterful communication, check out our book: Be Quiet, Be Heard: The Paradox of Persuasion

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