The Hardest Lesson Thus Far
Alicia Hughes
?? Empowering Virtual Leaders, Building Thriving Cultures, and Inspiring Teams ?? Ready to Connect & Collaborate! ??
Gosh this entrepreneurship thing is TOUGH!?
And not just because I am learning all the things like financial software and best platforms for selling courses and how to self-promote. Nope, those things are HARD but to be expected.
What I didn’t expect to knock me sideways was the rejection. And not even the straightforward rejection, because that was also to be expected, but rather the simple, impersonal rejection, such as the screen shot above, that was in reference to an email I sent promoting a workshop I was offering.
And I get it. I was that “please stop” person once. In fact, I did it right up until the moment I left my previous role as school leader. I was getting hundreds of emails a day, with at least 25% of them being from people asking me to buy things. And when there wasn’t an unsubscribe button, I am certain I said “please remove me from your email list” many times over.
But when you are the recipient, trying to sell something you believe will be a game changer, a cold, impersonal “please stop” can feel like a punch to the stomach.
But you know what is worse? The cancellation of a scheduled appointment without cause or a reschedule. You don’t even have a chance to get to know someone before they run for the hills. So, first you have hope and then you have grave disappointment. You can’t even speculate on the why because you weren’t given a chance.
And even worse than that?? The ghosting! When you are engaged with someone. Feeling like you are finally moving in the right direction and then BAM! Communication abruptly stops. And you are left to wonder….was it something I said? Something I did? Did the words not come out right? (Thanks, Poison!) There is no reason for the ghosting, so you are left to question every move you made and never fully understand the why.
I was guilty of all of them previously! Being on the receiving end is surely a lot different than being the one calling the shots….
So, I have also very quickly learned you cannot take anything personally. While the first “please stop” hurt like hell, the subsequent ones have been less and less heart breaking. And the surprise that comes when someone does respond has been even sweeter because I am so used to screaming into the void.
I am living and learning and trying to not take it all too personally in the hopes that soon enough there will be more yeses than I know what to do with and people will be seeking out my knowledge and guidance with love and enthusiasm.
#thevirtualspark
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Hi! ?I’m Alicia and I am passionate about creating virtual relationships and a strong organizational culture in order to maximize the opportunities to impact change.?
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Founder @ The Society of Working Moms ? Connector of Dots ? Convener ? Philanthrope ? Communications Pro ? Aspiring Inn Keeper ? Proud and Tired Mom
7 个月Can I just counter this person and say... "Never stop!"? They can unsubscribe if they'd like!
Authentic learning for every student | STEM Education Innovator | AI-Enhanced Teaching | Professional Learning | Curriculum Design | Learning Experience Design |??| Grammarly Ambassador
7 个月Yes, girl, yes! QTIP is an acronym I live by. Quit Taking It Personal Educators tend to be people-pleasers. It takes lots of practice to take rejection in stride. Know that the best opportunities will resonate and those connections will be long lasting. DMing ??
Founder, Future-Ready Parents | Helping Parents Raise Future-Smart, Opportunity-Ready Kids
7 个月Solopreneurship definitely sounds much more beautiful than it can feel. I never had a true UVP and was throwing things at the wall to see if anything would stick. That was my biggest fail last year. I recognized I needed more time to determine if I truly had a product or service, and more importantly, a paying audience. I didn’t stick it out enough, maybe 3.5 months. And that’s when I transitioned back to teaching. No regrets a year later. My brain is always thinking of ideas. Perhaps I’ll give it a go another day. But for you…keep grinding and staying positive, as you are! It’ll be worth it, no doubt!!!
?? Empowering Virtual Leaders, Building Thriving Cultures, and Inspiring Teams ?? Ready to Connect & Collaborate! ??
7 个月Ohhhh and I forgot…the unanswered LinkedIn poll! ??????
Learning Strategist | LXD | Leadership Development
7 个月This was beautiful, raw, and vulnerable. You are SO RIGHT in all the ways! Rejection never feels good - I tell myself all the time that it is not personal but after an email like that it does begin to feel personal. String together a nasty email, the deal that fell through, and being ghosted...I'm ready to crawl into a hole somewhere. Keep shining your sparkle on the world! The world needs the positivity, knowledge, and skills you (and only you) bring to the table. Thank you for sharing this story. I don't think any of us make it to leadership or entrepreneurship without bumps and bruises. HANG IN THERE! You got this!!