Rejection - Reflection Lab S2 #2

This week, Reflection Lab is back for the 2nd episode of the fall semester, and it comes with news: Michael is officially my new co-host for the semester.

The topic: rejection.

Seba had 30 no’s to collect for an entrepreneurship class, and this episode traces what that actually did to him. Cold-calling Domino’s for a free pizza. Asking the Charleston RiverDogs for a meeting with Bill Murray. Trying to get his name on the gym wall. All rejected, all expected.

What wasn’t expected was the low point. A near-miss crossing the street after freezing up at the sight of a girl he wanted to talk to. Sitting on a stopped treadmill, almost in tears, four asks out of thirty with the deadline closing in.

Then a shift. A run of boat companies said yes to a fraternity event. Someone did agree to code review. The number started moving up.

The two also get into what asking for things they didn’t expect to get, and getting turned down for them, is teaching them about the difference between fear of rejection and the actual cost of it, which is almost always smaller than the fear.

Next week’s challenge: courage. Specifically, saying what’s actually on your mind instead of interrupting it, deflecting it, or letting it die at a crosswalk.

Welcome to the show, Michael.