Be Direct: When giving a rejection, present the reason after the rejection. Avoid long and convoluted setup and reasoning.

Offer Alternatives: By offering alternatives to get a yes, or even simple concessions, one can make the other person a fan even in rej...

Sometimes it is good to be rejected, especially if public opinion is heavily influenced by group and conventional thinking, and if the idea is radically creative.

By seeking rejection in tough environments, one can build up the mental toughness to take on greater goals.

Retreat, Don’t Run: By not giving up after the initial rejection, and instead retreating to a lesser request, one has a much higher chance of landing a yes.

Collaborate, Don’t Contend: Never argue with the rejector. Instead, try to collaborate with the per...

By focusing on controllable factors such as our efforts and actions, and by detaching ourselves from uncontrollable outcomes such as acceptance and rejection, we can achieve greater success in the long run.

If a person who fears rejection were suddenly unafraid of it, what might she be capable of?”

People could react to the same request very differently.

Any rejection can have hidden upsides, if only we are willing to look for them.

All rejections are shared by many people in the world. One can use rejection and suffering to obtain empathy and understanding of other people.

Repeated rejections can serve as the measuring stick for one’s resolve and belief. Some of the greatest triumphant stories come only after...

When you are not afraid of rejection and it feels like you have nothing to lose, amazing things can happen.

Becoming a master of a craft requires not just great skills, but also the ability to weather rejections to get to an acceptance—not to mention an unfailing belief in yourself and you...

Rejection is human interaction with two sides. It often says more about the rejector than the rejectee, and should never be used as the universal truth and sole judgment of merit.

Every rejection has a number. If the rejectee goes through enough rejections, a no could turn...

Starting the request with the word “I” can give the requestor more authentic control of the request. Never pretend to think in the other person’s interests without genuinely knowing them.

Acknowledge Doubts: By admitting obvious and possible objections to your request before the other person, one can increase the trust level between the two parties.

Target the Audience: By choosing a more receptive audience, one can enhance the chance of bei...

Sustain the conversation after the initial rejection. The magic word is “why,” which can often reveal the underlying reason for the rejection and present the rejectee with the opportunity to overcome the issue.

By explaining the reason behind the request, one has a higher chance to be acce...

• Rejection seemed less like “the truth” and more like an opinion.
• It’s as if becoming a master of a craft requires not just great skills, but also the ability to weather rejections to get to an acceptance—not to mention an unfailing belief in themselves and their own work.
• ...

Freedom to Ask: We often deprive ourselves of the freedom to ask for what we want in fear of rejection and judgment. But amazing things often happen only after we take the first step.

Freedom to Accept Yourself: Our inner need for approval-seeking forces u...