Nothing To Lose II

Nothing To Lose II

In my last post I promised giving you stories that further buttress my point "Nothing To Lose". Both are real stories experience by real humans.

The first one comes from a friend of mine who narrated the story of another friend of his. Like every Nigeria graduate he had waited years and years seeking for a job. And finally he got an invitation to an interview. But it took about 11 hours to get his turn because there were just too many candidates like him. So after 11 hours hungry, fagged out and tired, his turn came for the interview. He got into to room and lost his balance partly because he was fatigued and partly because he was surprised to see none other than Mike Adenuga himself conducting the interview [by the way did I mention that the company was GLO Telecoms]. He sat gruffly and flunked every question thrown at him. Mr. Adenuga in his characteristic self lost no time in showing him the door. As he sheepishly headed for the door, he realized that he was being a fool, how could he come so close and then lost out, what then is the use of all his pain and sacrifice? As he held to handle of the door something flipped inside of him. He walked back to the panel and with boldness demanded that he be asked the questions again. Cynically one of the panelist threw him a question as a way to tell him off but he got it. And then the questions came in torrents and the fielded them all. The panelist and Mr. Adenuga himself asked him where he kept his brains initially, and need I say, he was offered the job. Why! In one instant he realized that he had been dismissed and that he had nothing to lose demanding a re-interview.

The second story comes from the pages of a book authored one of the men I love the most; Robert Kiyosaki and it also is about a job interview.

He wrote about his interview at rank Xerox for as a salesman. He flunked the interview and was told on the spot that he was disqualified. He felt such shame at himself and his weak self started screaming forth at him. By chance he heard the voice of his empowered self. He wanted to question the interview process but was too scared to. Then he realized he was not given the job, he is not an employee of Xerox so what punitive measure will he be dealt if he questions the companies hiring policies. When he realized he had nothing to lose he went straight on and fired his questions. This caught the HR guy unawares but he was willing to pursue the conversation. By the end of the conversation, the man saw sense in his point and felt that he was a smart guy after all. And so he decided to offer him the job. So Robert got the job. If you an avid follower of Robert Kiyosaki, you will know that that job in sales at Xerox was one of the turning points of his life that set the course for the success he became by learning the invaluable skill of selling and salesmanship. What if he had cowered away without giving it a second chance?

So, I ask you what have you to lose? Answer that question and then think again. What really have you to lose? Mark Victor Hansen and Jack Canfield the authors of Chicken Soup For The Soul which is a publishing phenomenon having sold over 600 million copies mentioned the fact that they were turned down over 140 times by publishers before they finally got one that gave them a chance and the rest as they say has become history. What if they had stopped after the first publisher told them nobody will buy their book. What if they quit anywhere along the way out of fear and rejection?

What is your fear of rejection costing you? Be sure it doesn’t cost you your dream and your life’s desire. No, don’t let it.

Here is what I learnt about rejection and the fear of it, it is just a mere myth. And allowing it to stop you belittles you. Don’t allow it to. 
play this game with me: If you were to realize that you have no dime on you and you go and ask Mr. A for a raise and he turns you down what do you lose? If you don’t get it let me help you.

Before you asked him for the raise, you had nothing. When you asked him, he turned you down. After he turns you down how much do you still have? Nothing! So now what have you lost in the process? Yes you are right; nothing! Demystify rejection. It means nothing more than what you ascribe to it. But the truth is it takes nothing off you. Even when you are rejected, it only leaves you the way you were before you asked not any worse. It takes nothing from you so why not try. That is the spirit or rationale of ‘nothing to lose’. As Steve Jobs said; You are already bare . . . .  why not go all out and give it your best. Make your demand on life as though it owes you. Cultivate a positive sense of entitlement and make it work for you.

So go all out and make it happen, you’ve got NOTHING TO LOSE!

Make it a great week!