Self-Help

Conquer Rejection by Not Eating the Moon

One method for handling rejection.

One of the most important success principles is: “Remember, all they can say is no.” You need to remember that “no” is not a stop sign. It’s a “try this way instead” sign.

But many people still fear the big no and hear it as a rejection of themselves. Here’s a trick that works for me:

I love the old Saturday Night Live skit of Will Ferrell as Harry Caray hosting a TV science show. “Caray” asks his guest—an astrophysicist—several absurd questions, like “Would you eat the moon if it were made of ribs?”

How does this help me deal with all the nos in my life? Well, every time I get a “no,” I just imagine the person has asked me, “Would you eat the moon if it were made of ribs?”

Then, the “no” isn’t a rejection. It just tells me that, well . . . this isn’t a direction I should go. I simply smile—easy, since I’m imagining Will Ferrell as Harry Caray—and say “Ummm... thanks for your time.” Then, I move on.

You can substitute your own ridiculous phrase if you want.

Doing this will help you to receive nos (from girls, from your boss, from potential clients, from publishers, from friends) without judging yourself. Just laugh at life and move on to the next opportunity.