I am always thankful when someone tells me, No. I have learned not to take it personally. The word No doesn't mean anything about me. What it means is I need to find the next opportunity and find someone who does want my services. The answer No frees me to move on and look for the Yes.

I remember when I first started my own business and someone would tell me, No. I took it so personally. I took No to mean they didn't think I was very good, they didn't like me, or they didn't think I knew what I was doing. The funny thing is No doesn't mean any of those things. When someone tells us No, it has nothing to do with us. It has to do with the other person. And saying, No doesn't make the other person bad. It just means that whatever we are offering isn't anything they want right now.

If we reframe the word No and simply look at it as an opportunity to find the next Yes, it takes the sting out.

No doesn't say anything about us. No is simply a response from someone who isn't ready, able, or willing to commit to whatever we are asking of them. People are actually doing us a favor when they say, No because it frees us up to go and find the Yes. Some people have a difficult time saying No and will unconsciously string us along without even realizing it. The person who can come right out and say No is doing us a great service. They are saving us time and energy by allowing us to seek out those who do want what we have to offer.

No gets you closer to Yes. It is a numbers game. Make getting No a game. Challenge yourself to get as many No's as you can. The more No's that you get the better. Why, because each No gets you closer to Yes. You might even want to count how many No's it takes to get a Yes. This is a great marketing tool because you will know how many prospects it takes to get a Yes.

About the Author

Coach Lee, MS is an Int'l Business & Personal Coach with 17 years of corporate management experience. She is a faculty member at the Univ. of Phoenix, a trainer for CoachU, the Int'l Coach Academy & Colorado Free Univ. She is a published writer & quoted as an expert in coaching. She is currently earning a Doctorate Degree in Applied Management & Decision Sciences, specializing in Business Coaching. http://www.coachlee.com emailto:rachelle@coachlee.com