What is the most consistent, if not the biggest, single obstacle to pursuing and achieving the deepest desires of your heart? For many people, it is the fear that when they ask for help in accomplishing something they need or want - whether it’s for a raise in pay at work or funding for their start-up venture or even just seeking advice on a vexing situation – that they will be turned away or rejected in some form. If you’ve ever faced that fear in one form or another, my guest today, Jia Jiang, has experience and helpful advice that can guide you through that process on your creative journey.

Jia burst into the public’s view within days after he started documenting his ‘100 days of Rejection’ project and then posting his efforts on his blog and on YouTube. Each day, Jia would ask someone for a seemingly preposterous request in an attempt to steel himself against rejection and to learn to live more fearlessly. One of his early lessons was that even the most ridiculous request stood a much better chance of being granted if you’ll simply ask in the right way. The experience and lessons learned eventually led Jia to writing his bestselling book, “Rejection Proof: How I Beat Fear and Became Invincible Through 100 Days of Rejection”.

I met Jia Jiang at the World Domination Summit in Portland OR in 2015 during a workshop he was leading on dealing with rejection. It wasn’t just a lecture. He had the group go out on the streets and practice the process of asking for things from people that would surely cause us to face rejection. He called it our ‘rejection therapy’ session. Although the exercises weren’t the same ones you might experience in your daily life – for example, walking up to strangers and asking for money – the process still lit up the same parts of the brain and brought on the same response of avoidance that we do face every day.