A Funny Thing Happened On Way To Rejection

Boots by Tanner Mark

 

I just got wait-listed for the third time for an art show that is on my bucket-list.  It's on my bucket-list because the competition to be accepted in to this show is fierce and my goal is to be invited to  participate BEFORE I DIE!!

I could have hung my head, cried a tear, secretly plotted to slash the tires of the jurors....but instead I thought to myself,  "YES!" and I threw in a few fist pumps for good measure.  The funny thing about rejection is that if you are tenacious enough, it brings you closer to your goals. Let me explain.

My husband has been in sales his entire professional life.  He is a natural, an ace, a don't quit until they have signed on the dotted line kind of guy.  He hears "NO" a lot, but what he taught me is that hearing "NO" brings him that much closer to a "YES".  He knows this because he has had experience playing the numbers.

Rejection is a numbers game.  In sales and in art, you will be rejected most of the time.  Let's say 24 times out of 25.  But what happens when you get to lucky number 25?  You get a "YES".  So, if you think about rejection in terms of numbers, you will realize that every no is bringing you that much closer to your yes. 

So celebrate the rejection!  Do a little happy dance.  You are getting closer.  Stay in the game and don't slash any tires - that's against the law.

8 X 10:00 - A Daily Practice To Reach Your Goals

45 years.  That's how long I had been on the planet when I decided I wanted to be an artist.  Better late than never - as the saying goes.  As a late bloomer, I have had a bit of a feeling that I needed to "hurry" to catch up to the talented souls who had  figured it out early in life.  How do you accomplish big dreams when you feel like you missed the starting gun?  Eight small steps at a time.

How do you reach the top of a mountain?  (That's code-speak for your goals)  You take one step at a time.  In my case though, I thought maybe I should take eight steps at a time - or eight small actions everyday to move me toward my goals.  I came up with a strategy.  I would complete eight actions every weekday by 10:00 a.m. to bring me closer to the top of the mountain.  That's 10:00 A.M. in the morning.  That lasted about two weeks.  A slight adjustment to the plan - a 12 hour adjustment, to be exact - worked much better for me.  The new strategy would be to complete eight actions every weekday by 10:00 P.M. in the evening.  MUCH better!

So began my 8 X 10:00 practice.  I kept a journal of entries to keep me accountable and it is working out pretty well.  I know every morning when I wake up that at least eight task need to be accomplished that have to do with art.  They don't have to be monumental task. They can be as easy as writing a thank you note to a buyer, or writing a blog post, or sending out images to a greeting card company. Let's do the math.  Eight actions X  five days a week = 40 small steps. That's 2,080 steps in a year.  Do you think that could change your life?

Now, when I feel myself wanting to watch another episode of Law and Order or I want to peruse Facebook for half an hour, I can look at my daily list and see how many things still need to be accomplished.  Sorry Olivia Benson, your crime solving will have to wait.  I'm busy climbing a mountain.

I think this 8 X 10:00 strategy could work for a lot of goals that don't have anything to do with art.  Maybe you could apply it to becoming more fit or to building a better marriage.  It might come in handy for your kids to use to get through a tough project.  Or you could use it to be a happier you.  There is greatness inside you!!  Even if you start late, you can find it.