Regardless of what others say, it’s hard not to feel disappointed, and that discontent often gets carried away with you at home. Neither watching Netflix nor playing with your kids takes away the feeling of rejection.

If you’re new here—hi, I’m Peter Jacobs, Founder of RogerRoger. Every Friday, I share some uncommon secrets for becoming great at sales. Today, I’ll show you the way to not take sales rejection personally (and no, it doesn’t involve cursing your prospects).

What Does Being Rejected Say About You?

We’re wired to tie our self-worth to outcomes—if we succeed, we’re worthy; if we fail, we’re trash. You might think, “Ahhh, Peter, I don’t do that. I’m good at positive self-talk.” But be honest—how did you feel the last time a prospect said NO? Didn’t a tiny voice in your head question your abilities?

Every time you hear a NO, tell yourself the prospect is saying NO to your offer, service, or product. By no means is the prospect rejecting you.

So, there is nothing wrong with you; instead, there is something wrong with the offer, package, or messaging.

The rejection is never personal. (Now, if a girl or boy rejects you… Okay, maybe that’s personal. And if you’ve got a great wife or husband, be grateful.)

What to do with rejection?

Once you understand that the rejection was not about you, the next step is to learn how to make the most of it.

First, if the prospect says no, don’t just take it straight to your heart. Instead, ask the prospect: What makes you not opt to go with this offer?

The answer often falls into one of these categories:

• The price is too high for them.

  (They either don’t see the value or have budget constraints.)

• They aren’t ready to commit right now.

  (Could be poor timing, lack of trust, or unclear value communication.)

• They want to take time to think about it.

  (They’re hesitant, unsure, or afraid of making the wrong decision.)

• They need to check with their team/boss/partner.

  (They’re uncertain, need buy-in, or are avoiding a decision.)

Each No tells you something about the prospect. When you take note of why behind every no, you’ll discover a few patterns.

It will help you decide if you are targeting the wrong audience or if the messaging needs to be improved.

Take time to process your emotions

In the meantime, you figure out the reason behind sales rejections, take a step back, unwind, and recharge.

Jot down a list of things that bring you genuine joy (and no, binge-watching Netflix or YouTube doesn’t count).

Instead, choose activities that truly satisfy you—take your dog for a walk, tend to your plants, call your parents, or get your hands messy with some DIY art. Your heart knows how to process those feelings—trust it.

The longer you bottle up tough emotions, the harder they hit later. Write them out and tear up the page, or scream it out if you need to. Whatever works—just don’t let them bottle up inside you.

Invest some time in upskilling yourself

Sales is a dynamic game. Sometimes repeated rejection is a signal to level up your skills.

It's the time you need to hear and learn from an expert. Invest in books, face-to-face consultations, and in-person webinars, or hire an expert coach.

If paid resources feel like too much right now, start with these free ones:

• Podcasts

• Courses

• Books

• Communities

The resources are out there—you just have to grab them.

Keep Your Head High and Keep Taking Notes

It’s so easy to let rejections take over you, but remember that these rejections don’t decide your worth. What truly decides your worth is: your ability to turn the worst cycle into the best, take careful note of details, and let your genius brain fix it. This makes you a PRO salesperson.

So keep your head high, stay curious, and keep innovating.

And always remember—Team RogerRoger is here to cheer you on every step of the way.

We’re in this together.