Going for it

I said I’m done hiding and I meant it. I’ve decided to put myself out there in the big, scary world. I’m going to collect 100 rejections in a year. Or at least that’s what I’m going for, but I might fail at it, just like Vivian Lee.

When I turned 30 last year, my goal was to be rejected 20 times (for my essays, fellowships, panels, etc) as a way to just, put myself out there. So far, I've had 2 rejections but 9 pieces published, taught two courses, and spoke at 5 conferences.
— Vivian Lee (@vivianwmlee) August 13, 2018

I’ve got this idea from Jia Jang and his TedTalk.

I believe in persistence, that it’s the key to many successes. And I believe that only by trying we can get where we want to be.

I want to try a different approach and instead of being afraid of rejection, go for it. Embrace it. Make it my goal. Because when I’ll seek it, I know it will be less painful. And when I’ve got it a few times, I’ll realise that the world doesn’t end with it, that my chances are not closing, that I can still seek other opportunities.

I even believe that approaching the same place, the same person multiple times can give you results you’re seeking. You can learn from the first rejection, you can reshape what you’re proposing, you can always try again at another time. Time can change everything.

So this is it. One year. 100 rejections.

Or in other words 100 asks I’m going to do. 100 times of putting myself out there. 100 times of trying.

Starting now.

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