Quick Tip – Believe in Yourself

Don’t rely on external validation – Issue #80

I read an interesting story yesterday about a freelance writer named Chuck Ross. After a disappointing attempt to get his first mystery novel published, he wanted to prove his theory that unknown authors always get their books rejected.

So, in 1975, he sent out excerpts from the novel Steps by Jerzy Kosinski to four different publishers. It had won the National Book Award for Fiction in 1969. All of the publishers rejected the sample.

Then, in 1977, Ross sent the entire book to ten publishers, including Random House (they had originally published it), and thirteen agents. The book was rejected by everyone.

Not a single person recognized the award-winning novel. No one gave it a chance.

Skills, talent, knowledge, and experience do matter. But, luck, timing, and connections matter a lot too. In some situations, who you know matters a lot more than what you know.

Sometimes, luck and timing are all that separate the winners from the losers. You can see this happen time and again with Tech startups, for example. A great idea failed 10 years ago because the market wasn’t ready for it yet. That same idea becomes a multibillion-dollar company later when the timing is right.

I’ve talked about this before, but you can’t let yourself be defined by the praise or criticism of others. You shouldn’t hang your definition of success on job titles and wealth either. You need to believe in yourself and stay focused on your goals.

Of course, you should always invest in developing your skills, expanding your knowledge, and seeking valuable experiences. However, why not tip the scales in your favor as much as possible?

Build a powerful network. Connections do matter.

Put yourself and your work out there as often as possible. Timing and luck matter, as well.

Some of the most successful people were rejected many times over. However, they knew their value and the value of their work, so they put their heads down and kept churning ahead.

Grit, determination, and a little luck can make all the difference.