WEBVTT
00:00:00.050 --> 00:00:01.159
Welcome back.
00:00:01.429 --> 00:00:09.949
Every week we pause to reflect because capital campaigns, especially in small towns, aren't just about buildings and budgets.
00:00:10.130 --> 00:00:12.140
They're about people choosing to be generous.
00:00:13.429 --> 00:00:25.879
This podcast explores the beautiful space where generosity occurs through ancient and modern writings from all cultures and religions seeking deeper wisdom for capital campaign work in small towns.
00:00:26.629 --> 00:00:35.840
Whether you're just starting out or deep in the middle of a campaign, these five minute reflections will ground you, encourage you, and remind you why this work matters.
00:00:37.500 --> 00:00:47.701
If capital campaigns are like riding a wild stallion without a saddle, then facing rejection is like being bucked off and being afraid to ride again.
00:00:48.320 --> 00:00:53.280
This week, we will discuss how to develop the discipline of facing rejection.
00:00:53.841 --> 00:01:01.460
Previously, we discussed disciplines such as money beliefs, prioritizing tasks, and planting seeds of awareness.
00:01:01.871 --> 00:01:07.561
In this episode, we'll discuss how to develop the discipline of hope when facing rejection.
00:01:08.331 --> 00:01:18.501
I'm reflecting on this quote from Vaclav Havel from a series of interviews published in the book Disturbing the Peace, translated into English in 1990.
00:01:19.171 --> 00:01:41.641
Quote, Hope in this deep and powerful sense is not the same as joy that things are going well or willingness to invest in enterprises that are obviously headed for early success, but rather an ability to work for something because it is good, not just because it stands a chance to succeed.
00:01:42.641 --> 00:01:48.650
The more unpromising the situation in which we demonstrate hope, the deeper that hope is.
00:01:49.361 --> 00:01:51.980
Hope is not the same thing as optimism.
00:01:53.040 --> 00:02:02.941
It is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense regardless of how it turns out.
00:02:03.510 --> 00:02:25.850
In short, I think that the deepest and most important form of hope, the only one that can keep us above water and urge us to good works, And the only true source of the breathtaking dimension of the human spirits and its efforts is something we get, as it were, from elsewhere.
00:02:26.760 --> 00:02:39.811
It is also this hope, above all, that gives us the strength to live and continually to try new things, even in conditions that seem as hopeless as ours do here and now.
00:02:40.450 --> 00:02:41.151
Unquote.
00:02:42.381 --> 00:03:00.920
I am convinced that the moment we close the car door or we hit end on a call with a donor, the doubts begin to creep in, and slowly or quickly, we wonder if we will be rejected when we make the follow-up call or visit that we promised to the donor.
00:03:02.341 --> 00:03:05.980
That's where the hope described here comes in.
00:03:06.980 --> 00:03:12.251
It's the hope in something good, regardless of how the follow-up turns out.
00:03:13.050 --> 00:03:24.871
Hope can be following up only to find out that the donor can no longer give what they intended, and yet in hope, bring grace and humanity into the relationship.
00:03:26.181 --> 00:03:43.211
And hope can be following up for six months at the donor's request, wondering if the follow-ups are badgering the donor, and then to receive with joy a major gift that was twice the amount that the donor had originally considered.
00:03:43.820 --> 00:04:02.420
And hope can be following up and sometimes feeling the sting of rejection, and yet knowing in hope that an answer, even if it is no, is better than the anxiety of not knowing for us and the anxiety of sharing hard news for the donor.
00:04:03.580 --> 00:04:08.881
This type of hope keeps us above water and moving forward during a capital campaign.
00:04:11.360 --> 00:04:13.681
Let's reflect on one question this week.
00:04:14.311 --> 00:04:21.860
How are you cultivating hope in something good even if your follow-up call results in a no?
00:04:23.894 --> 00:04:31.394
Share this podcast if you enjoy these five minute reflections and subscribe to receive these reflections released every week.
00:04:31.963 --> 00:04:38.293
To explore small town capital campaign coaching deeper, visit serving nonprofits.com.
00:04:38.293 --> 00:04:39.625
See you next week.
00:00:00.050 --> 00:00:01.159
Welcome back.
00:00:01.429 --> 00:00:09.949
Every week we pause to reflect because capital campaigns, especially in small towns, aren't just about buildings and budgets.
00:00:10.130 --> 00:00:12.140
They're about people choosing to be generous.
00:00:13.429 --> 00:00:25.879
This podcast explores the beautiful space where generosity occurs through ancient and modern writings from all cultures and religions seeking deeper wisdom for capital campaign work in small towns.
00:00:26.629 --> 00:00:35.840
Whether you're just starting out or deep in the middle of a campaign, these five minute reflections will ground you, encourage you, and remind you why this work matters.
00:00:37.500 --> 00:00:47.701
If capital campaigns are like riding a wild stallion without a saddle, then facing rejection is like being bucked off and being afraid to ride again.
00:00:48.320 --> 00:00:53.280
This week, we will discuss how to develop the discipline of facing rejection.
00:00:53.841 --> 00:01:01.460
Previously, we discussed disciplines such as money beliefs, prioritizing tasks, and planting seeds of awareness.
00:01:01.871 --> 00:01:07.561
In this episode, we'll discuss how to develop the discipline of hope when facing rejection.
00:01:08.331 --> 00:01:18.501
I'm reflecting on this quote from Vaclav Havel from a series of interviews published in the book Disturbing the Peace, translated into English in 1990.
00:01:19.171 --> 00:01:41.641
Quote, Hope in this deep and powerful sense is not the same as joy that things are going well or willingness to invest in enterprises that are obviously headed for early success, but rather an ability to work for something because it is good, not just because it stands a chance to succeed.
00:01:42.641 --> 00:01:48.650
The more unpromising the situation in which we demonstrate hope, the deeper that hope is.
00:01:49.361 --> 00:01:51.980
Hope is not the same thing as optimism.
00:01:53.040 --> 00:02:02.941
It is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense regardless of how it turns out.
00:02:03.510 --> 00:02:25.850
In short, I think that the deepest and most important form of hope, the only one that can keep us above water and urge us to good works, And the only true source of the breathtaking dimension of the human spirits and its efforts is something we get, as it were, from elsewhere.
00:02:26.760 --> 00:02:39.811
It is also this hope, above all, that gives us the strength to live and continually to try new things, even in conditions that seem as hopeless as ours do here and now.
00:02:40.450 --> 00:02:41.151
Unquote.
00:02:42.381 --> 00:03:00.920
I am convinced that the moment we close the car door or we hit end on a call with a donor, the doubts begin to creep in, and slowly or quickly, we wonder if we will be rejected when we make the follow-up call or visit that we promised to the donor.
00:03:02.341 --> 00:03:05.980
That's where the hope described here comes in.
00:03:06.980 --> 00:03:12.251
It's the hope in something good, regardless of how the follow-up turns out.
00:03:13.050 --> 00:03:24.871
Hope can be following up only to find out that the donor can no longer give what they intended, and yet in hope, bring grace and humanity into the relationship.
00:03:26.181 --> 00:03:43.211
And hope can be following up for six months at the donor's request, wondering if the follow-ups are badgering the donor, and then to receive with joy a major gift that was twice the amount that the donor had originally considered.
00:03:43.820 --> 00:04:02.420
And hope can be following up and sometimes feeling the sting of rejection, and yet knowing in hope that an answer, even if it is no, is better than the anxiety of not knowing for us and the anxiety of sharing hard news for the donor.
00:04:03.580 --> 00:04:08.881
This type of hope keeps us above water and moving forward during a capital campaign.
00:04:11.360 --> 00:04:13.681
Let's reflect on one question this week.
00:04:14.311 --> 00:04:21.860
How are you cultivating hope in something good even if your follow-up call results in a no?
00:04:23.894 --> 00:04:31.394
Share this podcast if you enjoy these five minute reflections and subscribe to receive these reflections released every week.
00:04:31.963 --> 00:04:38.293
To explore small town capital campaign coaching deeper, visit serving nonprofits.com.
00:04:38.293 --> 00:04:39.625
See you next week.
