What I learned from 100 days of rejection | Jia Jiang | TED

Translator: Carme Paz Reviewer: Xosé María Moreno

When I was six years old,

Cando tiña seis anos,

I received my gifts.

recibín os meu regalos.

My first grade teacher had this brilliant idea.

A miña mestra de primeiro tivo unha idea brillante.

She wanted us to experience receiving gifts

Quería que tivésemos a experiencia de recibir regalos

but also learning the virtue of complimenting each other.

e tamén a de aprender a cumprimentarnos mutuamente.

So she had all of us come to the front of the classroom,

Así que nos fixo ir a todos á fronte da clase,

and she bought all of us gifts and stacked them in the corner.

compráranos regalos e puxéraos nunha esquina.

And she said,

E dixo:

"Why don't we just stand here and compliment each other?

"Por que non nos gabamos uns aos outros?

If you hear your name called,

Cando escoitedes o voso nome,

go and pick up your gift and sit down."

ide, collede o voso regalo e sentade."

What a wonderful idea, right?

Que idea máis marabillosa, non si?

What could go wrong?

Como podía ir a cousa mal?

(Laughter)

(Risos)

Well, there were 40 of us to start with,

Pois, para comezar, eramos 40

and every time I heard someone's name called,

e cada vez que eu oía o nome de alguén

I would give out the heartiest cheer.

daba o viva máis intenso.

And then there were 20 people left,

E quedaban só 20 persoas,

and 10 people left,

e quedaban só dez persoas,

and five left ...

e cinco...

and three left.

e tres.

And I was one of them.

E eu era un deses.

And the compliments stopped.

E os cumprimentos pararon.

Well, at that moment, I was crying.

Nese momento, eu choraba.

And the teacher was freaking out.

A profesora púxose moi nerviosa.

She was like, "Hey, would anyone say anything nice about these people?"

Dicía "Ei, quen lle di algo agradable a esta xente?"

(Laughter)

(Risos)

"No one? OK, why don't you go get your gift and sit down.

"Ninguén? Ben, pois ide coller o voso regalo e sentade.

So behave next year --

E sede bos, o ano que vén

someone might say something nice about you."

quizais alguén diga algo bonito de vós."

(Laughter)

(Risos)

Well, as I'm describing this you,

Ao describirvos isto,

you probably know I remember this really well.

seguro que vos decatastes de que o lembro moi ben.

(Laughter)

(Risos)

But I don't know who felt worse that day.

Mais eu non sei quen se sentiu peor ese día.

Was it me or the teacher?

Eu ou a profesora?

She must have realized that she turned a team-building event

Ela debeu decatarse de que convertera un xogo de cooperación

into a public roast for three six-year-olds.

nun escarnio público para tres nenos de seis anos.

And without the humor.

E sen ningunha graza.

You know, when you see people get roasted on TV,

Cando vedes xente da que se moquean na TV,

it was funny.

é gracioso.

There was nothing funny about that day.

Ese día non houbo nada gracioso.

So that was one version of me,

Así que esa era unha versión de min,

and I would die to avoid being in that situation again --

e preferiría morrer antes que volver a estar nesa situación,

to get rejected in public again.

volver a ser rexeitado en público.

That's one version.

Esa é unha versión.

Then fast-forward eight years.

Agora imos aos meus oito anos.

Bill Gates came to my hometown --

Bill Gates veu á miña cidade,

Beijing, China --

Pequín, China,

to speak,

para dar unha charla,

and I saw his message.

e eu pillei a súa mensaxe.

I fell in love with that guy.

Namoreime daquel tipo.

I thought, wow, I know what I want to do now.

Pensei: "Xa sei o que quero facer".

That night I wrote a letter to my family

Esa noite escribinlle unha carta á miña familia

telling them: "By age 25,

dicindo: "Aos 25 anos,

I will build the biggest company in the world,

vou crear a compañía máis grande do mundo

and that company will buy Microsoft."

e esa compañía vai comprar Microsoft."

(Laughter)

(Risos)

I totally embraced this idea of conquering the world --

Aferreime a esa idea de conquistar o mundo,

domination, right?

dominalo.

And I didn't make this up, I did write that letter.

Non o inventei, de verdade escribín esa carta.

E aquí está.

And here it is --

(Laughter)

(Risos)

You don't have to read this through --

Non tedes que lela.

(Laughter)

(Risos)

Tiña mala letra pero marcara as palabras importantes.

This is also bad handwriting, but I did highlight some key words.

You get the idea.

Colledes a idea.

(Laughter)

(Risos)

So ...

Así que...

that was another version of me:

Esa era outra versión de min:

one who will conquer the world.

alguén que ía conquistar o mundo.

Well, then two years later,

Dous anos máis tarde,

I was presented with the opportunity to come to the United States.

xurdiume a oportunidade de vir aos EUA.

I jumped on it,

Agarreina,

because that was where Bill Gates lived, right?

porque era onde vivía Bill Gates, non?

(Laughter)

(Risos)

I thought that was the start of my entrepreneur journey.

Pensei que era o comezo do meu camiño como empresario.

Then, fast-forward another 14 years.

Agora, avancemos outros 14 anos.

I was 30.

Tiña 30.

Nope, I didn't build that company.

Non, non creei aquela empresa.

I didn't even start.

Nin sequera comecei.

I was actually a marketing manager for a Fortune 500 company.

Era director comercial nunha empresa Fortune 500.

And I felt I was stuck;

E sentíame bloqueado;

I was stagnant.

estaba estancado.

Why is that?

Por que?

Where is that 14-year-old who wrote that letter?

Onde está o rapaz de 14 anos que escribiu esa carta?

It's not because he didn't try.

Non é porque non o intentase.

It's because every time I had a new idea,

É porque cada vez que tiña unha idea,

every time I wanted to try something new,

cada vez que quería intentar algo novo,

even at work --

mesmo no traballo,

I wanted to make a proposal,

que quería facer unha proposta,

I wanted to speak up in front of people in a group --

que quería falar en fronte dun grupo de xente,

I felt there was this constant battle

sentía que estaba nunha loita constante

between the 14-year-old and the six-year-old.

entre o rapaz de 14 anos e o de 6.

One wanted to conquer the world --

Un quería conquistar o mundo,

make a difference --

marcar a diferenza,

another was afraid of rejection.

o outro tiña medo do rexeitamento.

And every time that six-year-old won.

E sempre gañaba o rapaz de seis anos.

And this fear even persisted after I started my own company.

Este medo persistiu cando creei a miña propia empresa.

I mean, I started my own company when I was 30 --

Quero dicir, empecei a miña empresa cando tiña 30,

if you want to be Bill Gates,

se queredes ser Bill Gates

you've got to start sooner or later, right?

tedes que comezar antes ou despois, non?

When I was an entrepreneur,

Cando pasei a ser empresario,

I was presented with an investment opportunity,

presentóuseme a oportunidade de que alguén investise,

and then I was turned down.

e rexeitáronme.

And that rejection hurt me.

E ese rexeitamento doeume.

It hurt me so bad that I wanted to quit right there.

E doeume tanto que quixen abandonar todo alí mesmo.

But then I thought,

Pero pensei:

hey, would Bill Gates quit after a simple investment rejection?

"Ei, Bill Gates abandonaría tras un rexeitamento para investir?

Would any successful entrepreneur quit like that?

Abandonaría así calquera outro empresario con éxito?

No way.

Nin falar."

And this is where it clicked for me.

E aquí é onde me dei de conta.

OK, I can build a better company.

Ben, podo crear unha compañía mellor.

I can build a better team or better product,

Podo crear un equipo mellor ou un produto mellor,

but one thing for sure:

pero unha cousa está clara:

I've got to be a better leader.

Teño que ser un líder mellor.

I've got to be a better person.

Teño que ser unha persoa mellor.

I cannot let that six-year-old keep dictating my life anymore.

Non podo deixar que aquel rapaz de 6 anos dirixa a miña vida.

I have to put him back in his place.

Teño que poñelo no seu lugar.

So this is where I went online and looked for help.

Así foi como me metín na rede e busquei axuda.

Google was my friend.

Google era o meu amigo.

(Laughter)

(Risos)

I searched, "How do I overcome the fear of rejection?"

Busquei: "Como superar o medo ao rexeitamento?"

I came up with a bunch of psychology articles

Atopei unha morea de artigos psicolóxicos

about where the fear and pain are coming from.

sobre de onde veñen o medo e a dor.

Then I came up with a bunch of "rah-rah" inspirational articles

Despois atopei unha morea de artigos inspiradores.

about "Don't take it personally, just overcome it."

"Non o tomes como un asunto persoal, supérao."

Who doesn't know that?

Quen non sabe iso?

(Laughter)

(Risos)

But why was I still so scared?

Pero por que seguía tan asustado?

Then I found this website by luck.

Entón, atopei esta páxina por casualidade.

It's called rejectiontherapy.com.

Chámase rejectiontherapy.com.

(Laughter)

(Risos)

"Rejection Therapy" was this game invented by this Canadian entrepreneur.

"A terapia do rexeitamento" era un xogo inventado por un empresario canadiense.

His name is Jason Comely.

O seu nome é Jason Comely.

And basically the idea is for 30 days you go out and look for rejection,

Basicamente, a idea é que durante 30 días saias e busques o rexeitamento,

and every day get rejected at something,

e que cada día te rexeiten en algo

and then by the end, you desensitize yourself from the pain.

e, ao final, deixas de ser sensible á dor.

And I loved that idea.

Encantoume a idea.

(Laughter)

(Risos)

I said, "You know what? I'm going to do this.

Dixen: "Sabes que? Vou facelo.

And I'll feel myself getting rejected 100 days."

E vou sentirme rexeitado durante 100 días."

And I came up with my own rejection ideas,

E xurdíronme ideas propias sobre o rexeitamento

and I made a video blog out of it.

e fixen un vídeo blog diso.

And so here's what I did.

E aquí está o que fixen.

This is what the blog looked like.

Así é o blog.

Day One ...

Día 1:

(Laughter)

(Risos)

Borrow 100 dollars from a stranger.

Pídelle prestados 100 dólares a un descoñecido.

So this is where I went to where I was working.

Así que fun a onde traballaba.

I came downstairs

Baixei as escaleiras

and I saw this big guy sitting behind a desk.

e vin un home grande sentado nun escritorio.

He looked like a security guard.

Parecía un garda de seguridade.

So I just approached him.

Así que me aproximei.

And I was just walking

Ía camiñando

and that was the longest walk of my life --

e foi o camiño máis longo da miña vida,

hair on the back of my neck standing up,

o pelo da caluga de punta,

I was sweating and my heart was pounding.

estaba suando, o corazón batíame.

And I got there and said,

Cheguei alí e dixen:

"Hey, sir, can I borrow 100 dollars from you?"

"Señor, pode prestarme 100 dólares?"

(Laughter)

(Risos)

And he looked up, he's like, "No."

Miroume e dixo: "Non.

"Why?"

Por que?"

And I just said, "No? I'm sorry."

E simplemente dixen: "Non? Canto o sinto."

Then I turned around, and I just ran.

Dei media volta e corrín.

(Laughter)

(Risos)

I felt so embarrassed.

Sentín moita vergoña.

But because I filmed myself --

Pero, como me gravara,

so that night I was watching myself getting rejected,

esa noite vinme a min mesmo sendo rexeitado,

I just saw how scared I was.

vin o asustado que estaba.

I looked like this kid in "The Sixth Sense."

Parecía o rapaz de "O sexto sentido."

I saw dead people.

Vexo xente morta.

(Laughter)

(Risos)

But then I saw this guy.

Pero despois vin o home.

You know, he wasn't that menacing.

Sabedes, non era tan ameazador.

He was a chubby, loveable guy,

Era un home gordiño e encantador,

and he even asked me, "Why?"

mesmo me preguntou: "Por que?

In fact, he invited me to explain myself.

De feito, convidoume a explicarme.

And I could've said many things.

E puiden dicir moitas cousas.

I could've explained, I could've negotiated.

Puiden explicarme. Puiden negociar.

I didn't do any of that.

Non fixen nada diso.

All I did was run.

Só corrín.

I felt, wow, this is like a microcosm of my life.

Sentín, uau, que aquilo era como un microcosmos da miña vida.

Every time I felt the slightest rejection,

Cada vez que sentía o mínimo rexeitamento,

I would just run as fast as I could.

corría o máis rápido que podía.

And you know what?

E sabedes que?

The next day, no matter what happens,

Ao día seguinte, pasase o que pasase,

I'm not going to run.

non ía correr.

I'll stay engaged.

Ía quedar.

Day Two: Request a "burger refill."

Día 2: Pide unha "recarga de hamburguesa".

(Laughter)

(Risos)

It's when I went to a burger joint,

Fun a unha hamburguesaría,

I finished lunch, and I went to the cashier and said,

rematei de xantar e fun á caixa e dixen:

"Ola, podo reencher a hamburguesa?"

"Hi, can I get a burger refill?"

(Laughter)

(Risos)

He was all confused, like, "What's a burger refill?"

El estaba moi confuso, como "Que é iso?"

(Laughter)

(Risos)

I said, "Well, it's just like a drink refill but with a burger."

Dixen: "É como coa bebida pero cunha hamburguesa."

And he said, "Sorry, we don't do burger refill, man."

E dixo: "Síntoo, non o facemos, ho."

(Laughter)

(Risos)

So this is where rejection happened and I could have run, but I stayed.

Aquí foi onde ocorreu o rexeitamento e podería fuxir, pero quedei.

I said, "Well, I love your burgers,

E dixen: "Encántanme as hamburguesas,

I love your joint,

encántame este sitio

and if you guys do a burger refill,

e se facedes unha recarga de hamburguesa,

I will love you guys more."

encantarédesme máis."

(Laughter)

(Risos)

And he said, "Well, OK, I'll tell my manager about it,

E dixo: "Ben, direillo ao meu xefe,

and maybe we'll do it, but sorry, we can't do this today."

quizais o fagamos, pero síntoo, hoxe non pode ser."

Then I left.

Despois marchei.

And by the way,

E a propósito,

I don't think they've ever done burger refill.

non creo que fixesen a recarga de hamburguesa.

(Laughter)

(Risos)

I think they're still there.

Creo que aínda están alí.

But the life and death feeling I was feeling the first time

Pero o sentimento de vida ou morte que sentín a primeira vez

was no longer there,

xa non estaba,

just because I stayed engaged --

só porque quedei,

because I didn't run.

porque non fuxín.

I said, "Wow, great, I'm already learning things.

Dixen: Xenial, estou aprendendo cousas.

Great."

Xenial."

And then Day Three: Getting Olympic Doughnuts.

E despois, Día 3: Consigue donuts olímpicos.

This is where my life was turned upside down.

Aquí, a miña vida púxose patas arriba.

I went to a Krispy Kreme.

Fun a un Krispy Kreme.

It's a doughnut shop

É unha tenda de donuts

in mainly the Southeastern part of the United States.

que hai, sobre todo, no Sueste dos EUA.

I'm sure they have some here, too.

Seguro que tamén a hai aquí.

And I went in,

E entrei,

I said, "Can you make me doughnuts that look like Olympic symbols?

e dixen: "Podedes facerme donuts que parezan símbolos olímpicos?

Basically, you interlink five doughnuts together ... "

Basicamente, é entrelazar cinco donuts xuntos..."

I mean there's no way they could say yes, right?

Non había maneira de que dixesen que si, non?

The doughnut maker took me so seriously.

A que facía os donuts tomoume moi en serio.

(Laughter)

(Risos)

So she put out paper,

Ela sacou papel,

started jotting down the colors and the rings,

comezou a debuxar as cores e os aneis,

and is like, "How can I make this?"

pensando como podería facelo.

And then 15 minutes later,

E 15 minutos máis tarde,

she came out with a box that looked like Olympic rings.

saíu cunha caixa parecida aos aneis olímpicos.

And I was so touched.

Eu estaba emocionado.

I just couldn't believe it.

Non o podía crer.

And that video got over five million views on Youtube.

Ese vídeo conseguiu máis de 5 millóns de visitas en Youtube.

The world couldn't believe that either.

O mundo tampouco podía crelo.

(Laughter)

(Risos)

You know, because of that I was in newspapers,

Sabedes, a causa diso, aparecín nos xornais,

in talk shows, in everything.

en charlas, en todo.

And I became famous.

Fíxenme famoso.

A lot of people started writing emails to me

Moita xente comezou a escribirme correos

and saying, "What you're doing is awesome."

dicindo: "O que estás facendo é incrible."

But you know, fame and notoriety did not do anything to me.

Pero, sabedes, a fama e a notoriedade non me dicían nada.

What I really wanted to do was learn,

O que eu quería era aprender

and to change myself.

e cambiarme a min mesmo.

So I turned the rest of my 100 days of rejection

Así que cambiei o resto dos 100 días de rexeitamento

into this playground --

nun patio de xogos,

into this research project.

nun proxecto de investigación.

I wanted to see what I could learn.

Quería saber o que podía aprender.

And then I learned a lot of things.

E aprendín moitas cousas.

I discovered so many secrets.

Descubrín tantos segredos.

For example, I found if I just don't run,

Por exemplo, atopei que se non fuxía

if I got rejected,

ao ser rexeitado,

I could actually turn a "no" into a "yes,"

podía converter un "non" nun "si",

and the magic word is, "why."

e a palabra máxica é "por que".

So one day I went to a stranger's house, I had this flower in my hand,

Así que un día fun á casa dun estraño, levaba esta flor na man,

knocked on the door and said,

chamei á porta e dixen:

"Podo plantar esta flor no teu patio?"

"Hey, can I plant this flower in your backyard?"

(Laughter)

(Risos)

And he said, "No."

E dixo: "Non."

But before he could leave I said,

Pero antes de que el marchase dixen:

"Hey, can I know why?"

"Podo saber por que?

And he said, "Well, I have this dog

E dixo: "Teño un can

that would dig up anything I put in the backyard.

que arrinca todo o que planto no patio.

I don't want to waste your flower.

Non quero estragar a túa flor.

If you want to do this, go across the street and talk to Connie.

Se o queres facer, cruza a rúa e fala con Connie.

Encántanlle as flores."

She loves flowers."

So that's what I did.

Así que fixen iso.

Crucei a rúa e petei na porta de Connie.

I went across and knocked on Connie's door.

And she was so happy to see me.

Estaba encantada de verme.

(Laughter)

(Risos)

And then half an hour later,

E media hora máis tarde,

there was this flower in Connie's backyard.

a flor estaba no patio de Connie.

Seguro que loce mellor agora.

I'm sure it looks better now.

(Laughter)

(Risos)

But had I left after the initial rejection,

Mais se eu marchase despois do rexeitamento inicial

I would've thought,

pensaría que era

well, it's because the guy didn't trust me,

porque o tipo non se fiaba de min,

it's because I was crazy,

porque estaba tolo,

because I didn't dress up well, I didn't look good.

porque non vestía ben, non tiña boa pinta.

Non era nada diso.

It was none of those.

Era porque o que eu tiña non encaixaba co que el quería.

It was because what I offered did not fit what he wanted.

And he trusted me enough to offer me a referral,

Fiouse de min dabondo para recomendarme,

using a sales term.

usando un tecnicismo das vendas.

I converted a referral.

Convertinme nun recomendado.

Then one day --

Entón, un día...,

and I also learned that I can actually say certain things

tamén aprendín que podo dicir certas cousas

and maximize my chance to get a yes.

e aumentar as posibilidades de ter un si.

So for example, one day I went to a Starbucks,

Así que, por exemplo, un día fun a Starbucks,

and asked the manager, "Hey, can I be a Starbucks greeter?"

e pregunteille ao xerente: "Ei, podo ser un saudador de Starbucks?"

He was like, "What's a Starbucks greeter?"

E el: "Que é un saudador de Starbucks?"

I said, "Do you know those Walmart greeters?

Dixen: "Coñeces os saudadores de Walmart?

Sabes, esa xente que che di 'ola' cando entras na tenda

You know, those people who say 'hi' to you before you walk in the store,

and make sure you don't steal stuff, basically?

e vixía para que non roubes nada, basicamente?

I want to give a Walmart experience to Starbucks customers."

Gustaríame darlles unha experiencia Walmart aos clientes de Starbucks."

(Laughter)

(Risos)

Well, I'm not sure that's a good thing, actually --

Ben, non estou seguro de que sexa unha boa cousa...

Actually, I'm pretty sure it's a bad thing.

De feito, estou bastante seguro de que é algo malo.

And he was like, "Oh" --

E el: "Oh."

yeah, this is how he looked, his name is Eric --

Si, era así, chámase Eric...

and he was like, "I'm not sure."

Di: "Non estou seguro."

Así foi a súa reacción: "Non estou seguro."

This is how he was hearing me. "Not sure."

Then I ask him, "Is that weird?"

Pregunteille: "É moi raro?"

He's like, "Yeah, it's really weird, man."

E el: "Si, é moi raro, tío."

But as soon as he said that, his whole demeanor changed.

Pero tan pronto como o dixo, o seu comportamento cambiou.

It's as if he's putting all the doubt on the floor.

Foi coma se eliminase todas as dúbidas.

And he said, "Yeah, you can do this,

E dixo: "Si, podes facelo,

just don't get too weird."

pero que non quede raro."

(Laughter)

(Risos)

So for the next hour I was the Starbucks greeter.

E durante unha hora fun saudador de Starbucks.

I said "hi" to every customer that walked in,

Díxenlle "ola" a cada cliente que entrou,

and gave them holiday cheers.

e desexeille boas vacacións.

By the way, I don't know what your career trajectory is,

A propósito, non coñezo a vosa traxectoria laboral,

don't be a greeter.

non sexades un saudador.

(Laughter)

(Risos)

Foi moi aburrido.

It was really boring.

But then I found I could do this because I mentioned, "Is that weird?"

Pero descubrín que puidera facelo porque dixen: "É moi raro?"

I mentioned the doubt that he was having.

Mencionei a dúbida que el tiña.

And because I mentioned, "Is that weird?", that means I wasn't weird.

E que mencionase "É moi raro?" significaba que eu non era raro.

That means I was actually thinking just like him,

Significaba que eu estaba pensando xusto coma el,

seeing this as a weird thing.

véndoo como unha cousa rara.

And again, and again,

E outra vez, e outra vez,

I learned that if I mention some doubt people might have

Aprendín que se mencionaba algunha dúbida que a xente podía ter

before I ask the question,

antes de facer a pregunta,

I gained their trust.

xa gañaba a súa confianza.

People were more likely to say yes to me.

A xente tendía máis a dicirme que si.

And then I learned I could fulfill my life dream ...

E aprendín que podía acadar o soño da miña vida

by asking.

preguntando.

You know, I came from four generations of teachers,

Sabedes, veño de catro xeracións de profesores,

and my grandma has always told me,

a miña avoa sempre me dixo:

"Hey Jia, you can do anything you want,

"Jia, podes facer o que queiras,

but it'd be great if you became a teacher."

mais sería xenial se foses profesor."

(Laughter)

(Risos)

But I wanted to be an entrepreneur, so I didn't.

Pero eu quería ser un empresario, e non o fun.

But it has always been my dream to actually teach something.

Pero sempre tiven o soño de ensinar algo.

So I said, "What if I just ask

E pensei: "E se pregunto

and teach a college class?"

e imparto unha clase na facultade?"

I lived in Austin at the time,

Vivía en Austin daquela,

fun á Universidade de Texas en Austin,

so I went to University of Texas at Austin

and knocked on professors' doors and said, "Can I teach your class?"

petei ás portas dos profesores e dixen: "Podo ensinar na túa clase?"

I didn't get anywhere the first couple of times.

Non conseguín nada as primeiras dúas veces.

But because I didn't run -- I kept doing it --

Pero grazas a que non fuxín, seguino intentando,

and on the third try the professor was very impressed.

e no terceiro intento o profesor quedou impresionado.

He was like, "No one has done this before."

Dixo: "Ninguén fixo isto antes."

And I came in prepared with powerpoints and my lesson.

Eu entrara preparado con presentacións e a miña lección.

He said, "Wow, I can use this.

Dixo: "Ei, podo usar isto."

Why don't you come back in two months? I'll fit you in my curriculum."

Por que non volves en dous meses? Encaixareino no currículo."

And two months later I was teaching a class.

E dous meses máis tarde eu daba unha clase.

This is me -- you probably can't see, this is a bad picture.

Este son eu, pode que non o vexades, é unha foto mala.

You know, sometimes you get rejected by lighting, you know?

Sabedes, ás veces, somos rexeitados pola iluminación.

(Laughter)

(Risos)

But wow --

Mais...,

when I finished teaching that class, I walked out crying,

cando rematei esa clase, saín chorando,

because I thought

porque pensei

I could fulfill my life dream just by simply asking.

que podería acadar o meu soño simplemente preguntando.

I used to think I have to accomplish all these things --

Acostumaba pensar que tiña que ser perfecto en todo,

have to be a great entrepreneur, or get a PhD to teach --

ser un gran empresario, facer un PhD para ensinar...,

but no, I just asked,

mais non, só preguntei,

and I could teach.

e puiden ensinar.

And in that picture, which you can't see,

E nesa foto, que non podedes ver,

I quoted Martin Luther King, Jr.

citei a Martin Luther King, Jr.

Why? Because in my research I found that people who really change the world,

Por que? Porque na miña investigación atopei que a xente que cambia o mundo,

who change the way we live and the way we think,

que cambia a forma en que vivimos e en que pensamos,

are the people who were met with initial and often violent rejections.

é a xente que ao comezo atopou rexeitamentos a miúdo violentos.

People like Martin Luther King, Jr.,

Xente como Martin Luther King Jr.,

like Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela,

como Mahtama Gandhi, Nelson Mandela

or even Jesus Christ.

ou mesmo Xesús.

These people did not let rejection define them.

Esa xente non deixou que o rexeitamento a definise.

They let their own reaction after rejection define themselves.

Permitiron que a súa propia reacción ao seu rexeitamento os definise.

And they embraced rejection.

E aceptaron o rexeitamento.

And we don't have to be those people to learn about rejection,

E non temos que ser eles para aprender sobre rexeitamento.

and in my case,

No meu caso,

rejection was my curse,

o rexeitamento foi a miña maldición,

was my boogeyman.

foi a miña besta negra.

It has bothered me my whole life because I was running away from it.

Angustioume toda a miña vida porque estaba fuxindo del.

Then I started embracing it.

E comecei a aceptalo.

I turned that into the biggest gift in my life.

Transformeino no mellor regalo da miña vida.

I started teaching people how to turn rejections into opportunities.

Comecei a ensinarlle á xente como mudar rexeitamento en oportunidade.

I use my blog, I use my talk,

Usei o meu blog, usei o meu discurso,

I use the book I just published,

usei o libro que acabo de publicar,

and I'm even building technology to help people overcome their fear of rejection.

incluso estou creando tecnoloxía para axudar a superar o medo ao rexeitamento.

When you get rejected in life,

Cando te rexeitan na vida,

when you are facing the next obstacle

cando enfrontas un obstáculo

or next failure,

ou un fracaso,

consider the possibilities.

considera as posibilidades.

Don't run.

Non fuxas.

If you just embrace them,

Se os aceptas,

they might become your gifts as well.

tamén poden chegar a ser o teu regalo.

Thank you.

Grazas.

(Applause)

(Aplauso)