“The Yes After No

One Rejection Away.

They say success is just around the corner, but when you’re standing in the middle of rejection after rejection, it doesn’t feel that way. It feels lonely. It feels like maybe the world is trying to tell you that you don’t belong, that you’re not good enough, that maybe you should stop trying.

Let me tell you a story.

There was once a woman named Sarah who dreamed of being a writer. Ever since she was a child, she carried a notebook around like it was an extension of her arm. She filled it with half-finished stories, scribbled poems, and little ideas that would arrive at random times—sometimes while she was brushing her teeth, sometimes while she was on the bus home from school. She didn’t just want to write. She *needed* to write.

When she grew older, she gathered her courage and began to send her manuscripts to publishers. She thought maybe, just maybe, someone out there would see her words the way she saw them—alive, glowing, carrying meaning. But instead, the letters came back cold and sharp: “Thank you, but not for us.” “We regret to inform you…” “Unfortunately, this doesn’t meet our needs.”

One rejection. Then another. Then another.

She stopped counting after fifty.

At first, she told herself it was fine. Every writer faces rejection. But deep down, every letter chipped away at her belief. She started to wonder: *What if they’re all right? What if my dream isn’t meant to be?

There was one day she remembers clearly. It was late at night, her small apartment was quiet except for the sound of the rain hitting the window. She sat at her desk with her latest rejection letter lying open in front of her. And for the first time, she thought about quitting.

“What’s the point?” she whispered to herself.

She could close the notebook. She could put away the stories. She could find a safer path, one where she wouldn’t have to face disappointment every few weeks.

But then she remembered something her mother used to tell her when she was a child: *You never know which attempt is the one that will open the door. You could be one try away from everything changing.*

That thought lingered.

One more try. That’s what she promised herself. Just one more.

So, she sent her manuscript out again—fully expecting another rejection. Days passed. Then weeks. Then months. And then, one afternoon, she opened her mailbox to find something different. It wasn’t a thin envelope with a standard rejection. It was a thick one. Inside was a contract.

Her book had been accepted.

That book went on to touch thousands of lives. Readers connected with her characters, her words, her struggles. Letters poured in from strangers saying, “Your story helped me.” “Your book gave me hope.” “I saw myself in your writing.”

And every time she held one of those letters, she thought about all the rejection she had faced. All the nights she almost gave up. All the times she believed she wasn’t good enough.

She had been *one rejection away* from never sharing her gift with the world.

Now, here’s the truth: it’s not just Sarah’s story. It’s the story of almost everyone who has ever done something meaningful. J.K. Rowling was rejected a dozen times before Harry Potter was published. Walt Disney was fired from a newspaper for “lacking imagination.” Oprah was told she wasn’t fit for television.

Rejection is not the end of the road. It’s a test. It asks you: *How badly do you want this? Will you keep going when it’s hard? Will you still believe when no one else does?

The difference between those who give up and those who succeed often comes down to one thing: the ability to try just one more time.

So maybe right now you’re facing rejection in your own life. Maybe you’ve applied for jobs and haven’t heard back. Maybe you’ve put your heart into a project only to be told it wasn’t good enough. Maybe you’ve tried to start something, only to watch it fall apart.

It hurts. And it’s okay to admit that it hurts. But remember this—every “no” is bringing you one step closer to the right “yes.” Every door that closes is guiding you toward the one that will finally open.

The question is, will you stay long enough to find it?

You might be one rejection away from the breakthrough you’ve been waiting for. One more phone call, one more audition, one more email, one more chance.

Don’t let the rejections define you. Let them refine you. Let them strengthen your resolve. Let them sharpen your skills.

Because somewhere out there, your “yes” is waiting. And when it arrives, all those rejections will no longer feel like failures—they’ll feel like proof of your persistence, evidence of your courage, a reminder that you didn’t quit when it would have been easier to walk away.

So the next time you’re tempted to give up, remember Sarah. Remember Rowling. Remember Disney, Oprah, and all the others. Remember that you might be standing right at the edge of your turning point.

You are one rejection away.