Aug 14, 1994, was an unforgettable day in my life.
We had selected our girlfriends. The problem was the chosen ones were not aware of it!
We spent time every day speaking about them and silently following them to their homes (errr...creepy). This went on for months, and there was no way to break the impasse. So, on that fateful day, a friend challenged me to go and speak with my girl.
My throat went dry, and my hands got sweaty. Somehow, I mustered the courage and asked. The girl (Code Name: Sunday Queen) simply fumed and gave me a BIG NO. I turned back. For some strange reason, I felt relieved.
That day taught me something invaluable. The fear of rejection is much more than the feeling we experience after an actual one. For the next 30 days, I took a challenge to get at least one rejection every day.
- I asked for a free Misal at Mamledar.
- I sent an email to a CEO of a large company seeking his appointment.
- I asked for a free ride on a TMC Bus.
There were many other crazy ones....
By gamifying rejection, I became insulated from its after-effects. This helped me a lot in my life. I became fearless in ideating, pitching them to others, trying stuff, asking for CTA.
The following day of 1994 was Independence Day for me.
PS: The girl who rejected me then now follows me on Social Media. We are connected and friends now ;)
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