As Jiang progressed through his 100 days of rejection, he began getting improbable yeses. These wins boosted his self-esteem and his confidence, leading to more wins. In a virtuous loop, his confidence made it harder for people to say “no,” which in turn improved his probability of getting a yes, which made him even more relaxed, confident, and assertive.
Four Keys to Developing Price Increase Obstacle Immunity
Adversity is your most powerful and impactful coach. Things that challenge you change you—most often for the better. Here are the four keys to developing obstacle immunity when selling price increases:
1 Be ready and open to gaining resilience through the crucible of adversity and pain.
2 Intentionally choose to put yourself in uncomfortable, rejection-dense situations.
3 Actively seek out rejection by asking confidently for what you want.
4 Push through the early pain until you ignite your own virtuous loop of confidence.
Once you begin intentionally facing fears and emotionally uncomfortable situations, you'll learn to anticipate the anxiety that comes right before the obstacle. You'll learn how to shift your internal self-talk and outward physical reaction to that fear.
Soon, the emotional rigors of approaching customers with price increases cease to phase you and it becomes routine. In other words, the more you do it, the more confident and self-assured you become.
You'll gain a sense of mastery and confidence. This leads to higher self-esteem and improved effectiveness in price increase conversations.
Exercise 4.1 10 Days of Rejection
In this exercise, you will begin the process of mastering the fear-of-rejection obstacle. Each day for the next 10 days, you will approach another person and ask for something.
Log what you asked for “The Ask,” who you asked, where you asked, the outcome, and your emotions prior to asking, while you were asking, and after you asked.
Then, reflect on what you learned. Pay close attention to how responses to your asks change, as you gain more confidence.
Day One
The Ask:
Who You Asked:
Where You Asked:
The Outcome:
Log your emotional state before, during, and after you asked. What did you learn? What behaviors will you adjust before the next ask?
Day Two
The Ask:
Who You Asked:
Where You Asked:
The Outcome:
Log your emotional state before, during, and after you asked. What did you learn? What behaviors will you adjust before the next ask?
Day Three
The Ask:
Who You Asked:
Where You Asked:
The Outcome:
Log your emotional state before, during, and after you asked. What did you learn? What behaviors will you adjust before the next ask?
Day Four
The Ask:
Who You Asked:
Where You Asked:
The Outcome:
Log your emotional state before, during, and after you asked. What did you learn? What behaviors will you adjust before the next ask?
Day Five
The Ask:
Who You Asked:
Where You Asked:
The Outcome:
Log your emotional state before, during, and after you asked. What did you learn? What behaviors will you adjust before the next ask?
Day Six
The Ask:
Who You Asked:
Where You Asked:
The Outcome:
Log your emotional state before, during, and after you asked. What did you learn? What behaviors will you adjust before the next ask?
Day Seven
The Ask:
Who You Asked:
Where You Asked:
The Outcome:
Log your emotional state before, during, and after you asked. What did you learn? What behaviors will you adjust before the next ask?
Day Eight
The Ask:
Who You Asked:
Where You Asked:
The Outcome:
Log your emotional state before, during, and after you asked. What did you learn? What behaviors will you adjust before the next ask?
Day Nine
The Ask:
Who You Asked:
Where You Asked:
The Outcome:
Log your emotional state before, during, and after you asked. What did you learn? What behaviors will you adjust before the next ask?
Day Ten
The Ask:
Who You Asked:
Where You Asked:
The Outcome:
Log your emotional state before, during, and after you asked. What did you learn? What behaviors will you adjust before the next ask?
Challenge
Now that you've successfully completed 10 days of rejection, continue this exercise for the next 90 days until you have mastered this obstacle and become rejection proof.
Notes
1 1. Jia Jiang, Rejection Proof (New York: Harmony Books, 2015).
2 2. Amanda L. Chan, “This Is Why Rejection Hurts – and How to Cope with It,” Huffington Post (March 14, 2014). https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/this-is-why-rejection-hurts--and-how-to-cope-with-it/news-story/b9847b1469a5e0703b00605e21ed860e.