What do you do with all the rejection?

If you’re a startup founder, budding artist or pursuing any business or creative dream, here’s what you do with all the rejection you’re sure to face. This has been true for me my entire life going back to when I was in middle school and black kids said I was “acting white” because I was making good grades and white kids said I was “not really Black” because of those grades. It’s even more true today as I experience rejection and keep moving forward.

1. You face it.

2. You listen to it.

3. You try to understand it.

4. You don’t get defensive about it.

5. You fight your inclination to completely dismiss it.

6. And you realize that there’s probably a lot of truth in it.

7. Then you keep moving forward and prove you can overcome it.

8. You show all the naysayers that they honestly don’t get it.

9. You find the people who actually do understand it.

10. You build a community of people who live it.

11. You don’t read too much into it.

12. You make them love it.

That’s what you do.