Mark Burnett is a household name. He is a four-time Emmy Award Winner, four-time People’s Choice Award Winner, Executive Producer and creator of hit television shows including Survivor, The Voice, Shark Tank, The Apprentice, (and many others), and more recently the acclaimed 10-hour docudrama, The Bible. He has produced over 1200 hours of television, with shows currently running on all four major U.S. television networks, which are seen in more than 70 countries worldwide, and has been inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame. And, in addition his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Mark has been named one of the World’s Most Influential People by Time Magazine. He seems to have a golden touch.
Yet surprisingly, not every show has been a hit. And not every pitch to network executives or financial backers has been met with success or enthusiasm. In fact, Mark admits that he has heard “no” far more often than he ever has “yes.” Much more. Even though his most recent project, The Bible, ranks as the fastest-selling TV title released in last five years, and as the top miniseries title ever during its first week of release, it nearly didn’t get made. Very few people thought it would be a success. He was told “no” over and over by networks and investors. So he and his wife put up most of their own money to finance the project in order to make his dream a reality.
Mark had very humble beginnings, working as a live-in nanny, an insurance office worker, and even selling T-shirts on Venice Beach. It was after he and four others entered a French adventure competition that he saw the opportunity to bring this format to American television—first through a program called Eco-Challenge, and ultimately in what would be named as the Number One Reality Series of All Time, Survivor.
I recently had the opportunity to sit in on an interview with Mark Burnett in which he shared his experiences. He talked not only about his successes, but also his many challenges and failured. It was in that interview that he said something, almost nonchalantly, that captivated and resonated with me in a very profound way. He said that in those times (which were many) when he heard the word “no,” he didn’t take it as defeat; it wasn’t the end of the line. Instead, whenever someone told him “no,” for him it simply stood for “Next Opportunity.” N.O. I love that. What an amazing attitude.
So many people, when met with adversity, simply give up. They let discouragement destroy their dreams. They resign hope, they lose their motivation, and they accept defeat. That’s tragic. It boggles my mind to consider how many amazing stories have not been told, how many brilliant inventions never have been, or how many opportunities for excellence have been snuffed out because someone let “no” kill their vision. How different things could be if they were encouraged and motivated by instead only hearing “next opportunity”…
If you have a dream, don’t let anything stand in your way. If you fail, get back up—it may not be easy, but it’s necessary. There’s a famous saying that I think is rather misguided: “Failure is not an option.” Yes it is. And it should be. Without failure, character is not grown. Persistence isn’t built. Ideas are not refined nor processes improved. Failing to embrace failure is simply that—failure. Don’t let others control your destiny. Don’t accept somebody’s “no” (or even a group of somebodies) to be your end all. Bury it in your heart that “no” really only can mean “next opportunity.”
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