by Brigette Mashile, founder of Roka Roko
Two weeks ago I submitted my writing to an organization that is looking for content writers. I was referred by a friend. After 2 weeks I was about to ask if they had received my work for the opportunity but I received the reply first. And it was a NO. I will admit, I feared that it was a no before I opened the email; I tried to reprimand myself. Why am I expecting the worst? Well I did receive the worst.
I then wondered, is it me only or many of us in business who receive many NO’s. It feels as though I have been receiving NO’s for many many years. I’m trying to remember when last I received a YES for any of the proposals I sent out to organizations - and I don’t. And at some point, I started asking myself if there was something I am doing wrong. Am I on the wrong path? Am I missing the right opportunities and going for the incorrect ones?
The NO’s have even strayed into the Covid relief campaigns for SMMEs. I have applied to a number of them with all documents requested only to be told NO. Again, I was not expecting anything more. I believe this habit is brought on by the amount of times I have been told NO. It is frustrating, not motivating and makes you wonder if you are growing or not.
These NO’s sometimes feel like failure because of the amount of work you put in. That specific project becomes your focus and you forget all other strides you have made in the past few years. I guess it is easier to see the rotten apple amongst ok ones than it is to see a normal one amongst the rotten ones. More so if you have planned a lot of things around that project and are leaning on the success of it.
I do know that in business for most of us it will take 1 YES. It will be that one opportunity that will change a lot for you; you are praying for it and waiting for it. Please be ready for it. I know you are tired of preparing for it and just waiting while building; but sometimes this is what it takes. And when you look around you see your peers flourishing and succeeding, don’t be disheartened, your time is coming.
I am not sure how many NO’s I can take without feeling like my chest is about to close. I think I have even forgotten what I want the YES for! This is the reason I had taken a break from trying; from sending proposals or speaking about my business loudly. I’m human, right? Sometimes it’s too much to not get what you had hoped for. Especially for people who are perfectionists about their work, you know us who were top of our class in high school, LOL.
But aluta continua, victoria e certa! When I’m done feeling rejected, I must rise. I must keep building and working towards a future I cannot imagine yet. I must plan with what I have and know now; but you just never know! The YES I need in the future might be bigger than the plans I am making today. The YES I will have in the future is probably bigger than the yes I’m proposing for today! I must focus on this and work towards that, I hope you do too.
Brigette Mashile is the founder and creative force behind Roka Roko, a custom fashion design business based in Johannesburg, South Africa. The company passionately delivers quality tailored and trendy fashion to make their customers happy, and specializes in styling women by creating unusual combinations with fabric, culture and style. Brigette has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Witwatersrand and a Fashion Diploma from Studio5 School of Fashion. She’s a former fashion buyer for a major retailer in South Africa, and an international direct selling company. She’s been passionate about fashion since the age of 10 and gained invaluable experience in the fashion world running informal fashion creation businesses until the day her own Roka Roko brand was born. Find out more by visiting the Roka Roko website www.rokaroko.co.za
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