Page 20 - MyFaith Mag March 2017 flipbuilder

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WHAT TO DO WHEN PEOPLE REJECT
YOUR IDEAS
PHIL COOKE
If you’re a creative person, at some point you’ll find a boss,
investor, studio, or colleague who rejects your ideas. Some-
times it will happen so often you’ll start to question your own
ability, and wonder if you’re really creative at all. In these
moments (which will definitely come) my advice is:
Never base your creativity on other people’s opinions of
your ideas.
Early in my career I worked with a boss who disliked so
many of my ideas he eventually fired me. Low and behold,
I discovered other clients were willing pay me to execute
the very ideas he hated! It reminded me about Walt Disney
being fired by a newspaper editor because, “he lacked im-
agination and had no good ideas.”
Years later, I had a few friends that asked me for advice
about their careers. But they simply refused to listen to any
advice – solicited or unsolicited. It was incredibly frustrating
because those simple ideas could have made a profound
difference for them. But time after time, they used excuses
like “I’m simply wired differently,” or “You don’t understand
this particular situation.” The truth is, they weren’t willing to
put in the discipline and hard work of making those ideas
happen.
But rather than be discouraged I simply launched a blog
and started pouring that advice into it. And that’s a big rea-
son I launched what you’re reading now.
After his first book – the iconic thriller Carrie – received 30
rejections, writer Stephen King finally gave up and literally
tossed it in the trash. But his wife fished it out and encour-
aged him to resubmit it. He finally found that person who
recognized the value of the idea, and the rest is history. To-
day, he’s one of the best-selling authors of all time.
GREAT IDEAS DON’T HAVE
AN EXPIRATION DATE. PHIL COOKE
So don’t be discouraged. When your ideas are rejected,
write them down, keep them nearby, and sooner or later
the right person, project, or situation will come along.