Kick Monday’s Ass: accepted and rejected by the same place (Nov 1, 2021)

It’s time to kick Monday’s ass…

Today I want to tell you a little story about the time I got rejected by and accepted to THE SAME PLACE.

By the time I was thinking about grad school (this was over a decade ago, right as the Great Recession was swinging into full gear), I’d been writing off and on for years.

With the economy crashing and competition for jobs heating up (I had a BA and was getting beaten out for entry level roles by people with Master’s degrees), the only thing that made sense to me was to back to school.

So I got busy applying to several Master of Fine Arts in Writing programs.

I didn’t have a particular school in mind – I just knew I wanted 1) as much financial aid as I could get, and 2) eventually to make my way back to SoCal, because I’d fallen in love with that area of the country after briefly moving there with an ex.

That’s how I wound up applying to two different programs at Carnegie Mellon University—the MFA and another program called Master of Entertainment Industry Management (MEIM).

Keep in mind that the grad school entrance exam scores (GRE) were exactly the same. The application materials were mostly the same, with some minor modifications.

So I was mildly fascinated when I got an acceptance letter AND a rejection letter from Carnegie Mellon on the same day.

The MEIM program said yes and offered a hefty scholarship. The MFA program… well they did not handle it in an empathetic way, not by a long shot. The letter was snarky AF. It laid out all the ways I fell short—too little experience, portfolio wasn’t strong enough, voice undefined—and ended with the thinly veiled dismissal that I could always try again in a few years (when I’d presumably be better).

When I made it into the MEIM program it took all I had not to walk into the fine arts dean’s office and tell him I didn’t need his fucking acceptance. But I doubt he would have remembered even writing that letter to me, let alone who I was. Thankfully logic and cooler heads prevailed, and I was able to focus on getting my degree versus getting revenge.

I shared this story because we’ve all got those moments of frustration and doubt. We’ve all got people in our lives telling us we can’t, or we’re not good enough, or now is not our time.

But sometimes what’s not good enough for one situation is PERFECT for another.

Sometimes when one door closes, the one next to it pops open. Only you’ll miss it if you keep staring at the closed one. Keep trying. You’re good enough, right now as you are… and all you need to do is find the right fit.

Kick Monday’s Ass: Sales as a Service

 

So many talented, amazing business owners stop before they ever start because of a big (mistaken) belief: sales is icky.

Often they’re picturing screaming dudes in suits yelling ALWAYS BE CLOSING or a slick used car salesperson pushing you to get something you don’t need or want so they can pad their bottom line.

You can (and should) fall in love with sales, especially if you created something you know is adding value to people’s lives. Here’s how I think of it…

Badass of the Week

This week’s badass is Norman Ruff, who at 80 years old, fought off a bear that broke into his cabin. The story’s too good for me to sum up – just go read it and tell me it didn’t bring a big ol’ smile to your face.

 

New podcast episode!

 

When heartache knocks on your door, sometimes the best thing you can do is pack your bags and get the hell out of dodge. That’s what Christy Goldfeder and I both did.

In pre-Pandemic times, Christy set off solo to Southeast Asia. When she was ready to return to the States, one principal guided her: “I can probably figure that out.” Listen now to find out what happens when you stop placing artificial limitations on yourself.

Can’t-Miss Moments From This Episode:

• When an opportunity comes up, are you disqualifying yourself before you even try? Christy’s got a question you can ask to take the pressure off and just go for it.
• Waitress + Firefighter + Lifeguard = Writer? If you think your past experience isn’t right for what you want to do… Christy and I have a fun exercise for you to try.
• How Christy used her Toastmaster’s Club membership to get a job… and you can use this strategy to silence the doubt in your mind.

  Rant warning! If someone tries to $h!t on your vision, I know exactly what you can tell them to send them back to their miserable corner.

• Is your world feeling small? Go eat some chicken feet. Confused? It makes more sense than you realize — Christy and I explain.

You don’t want to miss this one. Click here to listen (and subscribe) now!

 

On Repeat This Week…

 

Ever since I left an abusive partner, I’ve wanted to sing this one at a karaoke night. Today I bring you Sorry Not Sorry by Demi Lovato.

__________________

Baby, fineness is the way to kill
Tell me how it feel, bet it’s such a bitter pill
And yeah I know, you thought you had bigger, better things
Bet right now this stings (Wait a minute)
‘Cause the grass is greener under me
Bright as Technicolor, I can tell that you can see
And yeah, I know how bad it must hurt to see me like this
But it gets worse (Wait a minute)

Now, payback is a bad bitch
And baby, I’m the baddest
You fuckin’ with a savage
Can’t have this, can’t have this (Ah)
And it’d be nice of me to take it easy on ya, but nah

Baby, I’m sorry (I’m not sorry)
Baby, I’m sorry (I’m not sorry)
Bein’ so bad got me feelin’ so good
Showin’ you up like I knew that I would
Baby, I’m sorry (I’m not sorry)
Baby, I’m sorry (I’m not sorry)
Feelin’ inspired ’cause the tables have turned
Yeah, I’m on fire and I know that it burns