Believe In Yourself
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read the disclosure statement for more info.
“No just means a request for more information.”
Friend of a Friend
This is another good quote I heard during my week that really made me think. If you want to take a look at the previous posts in the quote series, take a look here.
It was a particularly long week at work and I think when I heard this quote it gave me the motivation to push through. This quote helped me understand how simple it can be to not give up on something I am working toward.
Professional
During my career so far, I have received praise, I have received constructive criticism and sometimes I have received, “No, that won’t work.” Early in my career, I took that “No” at face value, believed them, and went on with my daily tasks.
Nowadays, I have a little more experience, knowledge, wisdom, as well as self-confidence to not quit on my idea or take no for answer. Before I heard this quote, I would try a different person to see if they would think my idea was worth pursuing. I now realize what I should have been doing all along.
Finding more information, refining my thoughts, ideas, and goals is a great way to get people onboard. I have always worked hard to get what I want, but because what I want is not average, I cannot work like an average person.
Sometimes that above-average work ethic needs some direction and research behind its go-getter attitude. Framing the rejection as a request for more information allows me to develop my idea even further, making sure my arguments for it are air-tight.
People always have great ideas. It is said that Steve Jobs was just as proud of saying no to good ideas as saying yes to even better ideas. If you have a boss like Steve Jobs, one way to overcome the obstacle of convincing him your idea is worth pursuing is by getting more information. But the person saying no is not always your boss.
Mental
We just finished with Mental Health Awareness Month, and I am sure many people are aware of mental health and self-confidence research. Your brain sometimes works against you, holding you back or saying you can’t do something.
Gaining that edge and that knowledge to overcome the voice inside your head is not easy. I always talk to myself, literally having an argument trying to convince the naysayer inside me to not hold me back.
After hearing this quote, I have another tool to help in my fight to overcome self-doubt. I need more information about my decisions. If I am having hesitations, I do more research, find more information about the topic, and educate myself to become comfortable with the path I am choosing.
Figuring out what I want to do, understanding that path is right, and doing it. So simple right? Well, yes, it is simple but not easy. I don’t know about you, but I am always my hardest critic, and convincing myself can be harder than convincing my boss sometimes. That is why I believe the mental side of this discussion can be just as powerful as the professional one.
Family/Friends
One last scenario that I know people have been in is a conflict with a family member or a friend in which all the other person does is shoot down your ideas. All they say is, “No that won’t work.” Or “Your ideas always benefit you and not what I want.”
At this point, we can use conflict resolution steps and skills to figure out the best way to approach this situation. Most of the preliminary steps described in this book were about setting the environment and collecting information to cultivate a positive and conducive atmosphere for conflict resolution.
Getting more information to back up your proposed resolutions and showing how they are win-win opportunities can only help get through a conflict successfully. When I start turning down options for a conflict resolution, it is usually because I don’t understand it or I don’t see how it benefits me. Therefore, if I am going to propose a solution, I should put myself in my conflict partner’s shoes and make sure they understand my idea and see how it will benefit them too.
Reflection
We are always working with people whether it be in our professional or personal lives. Chances are we will run into some difficult people to work with who are always shutting down our ideas. Not giving up, not listening to the naysayers in the world and our heads can have a big impact on how our ideas can grow into something successful.
We can have a huge impact by not taking no for an answer and pushing through to gather more information to reinforce our ideas.
How do you work with “No” people?
