I got fired!?

I got fired!?

<< Rewind.

I was a 16-year-old.

I got my first job as a holiday sales associate at Best Buy.

But I was…

Introverted.

Quiet.

Inexperienced.

From day 1, I was thrown right into the fire.

It was the week of Thanksgiving.

The store manager assigned me to the computer department.

But everyone was busy preparing for Black Friday.

I received little to no training.

Every day was a battle against my fears.

How was shy me supposed to walk up and talk to strangers?

Convince them to buy a $2,000 computer?

And on top of that, a $200 product insurance plan?

I struggled.

I got rejected every which way possible.

“That’s too much.”

“I’m not interested.”

Even… “Buzz off, kid.”

The fear of rejection wore me down.

Soon I stopped trying altogether.

After the holidays, Best Buy told me they wouldn’t need me.

Rejected again.

I didn’t know it then, but these rejections were lessons in disguise.

That summer, I was shopping at the same Best Buy.

My former manager and I got to talking.

He was short-staffed.

He asked if I’d consider coming back.

He explained that since it was summer, there were fewer customers.

That meant quieter days and more opportunities for learning and development.

Looking for redemption, I agreed.

Upon my return, I devoted time to learning the products inside out.

Together with my co-workers, we practiced sales role-plays.

Management trained me on the systems and processes.

As the days and months passed, I grew confident.

And when the holiday season arrived, I was ready.

My preparation paid off.

Not only did I lead our store, but I led the entire Midwest region in insurance plan sales (by a landslide)!

Instead of another rejection, Best Buy rewarded me with a raise.

Better yet, this began my career in sales and business development.

The lesson?

Each rejection is a disguised lesson.

Persistence, continual learning, and resilience are keys to turning rejection into triumph.

Struggles aren’t setbacks.

They’re the set-ups for stunning comebacks.