The best advice I ever got - and it's the best advice I'd give

Host: The room is bathed in the warm glow of the evening, the last light of the day fading into a soft twilight. The city outside hums with the usual rhythm of life, but inside, there’s a quiet energy, as if something meaningful is about to unfold. Jeeny sits at the table, her fingers lightly tracing the edge of a notebook, her gaze distant. Jack stands near the window, arms folded, watching the fading light, lost in thought. The silence between them feels comfortable, yet pregnant with anticipation.

Jeeny: (her voice soft, but filled with conviction) “You know, I was thinking about something Dean Cain said once. He said, ‘The best advice I ever got—and it’s the best advice I’d give anybody—is just don’t believe the word ‘no.’ Be persistent. Persevere. Keep going. Never, ever, ever give up.’ It made me think about how often we hear ‘no’ in life, and how easy it is to let that stop us.”

Jack: (glancing at her, his voice dry, but curious) “Never give up, huh? Sounds simple enough, but I’m guessing it’s not always that easy. Life isn’t exactly built on a straight path to success, is it?”

Jeeny: (nodding slowly, a small smile forming as she considers the idea) “Exactly. It’s not easy. But I think there’s a lot of power in that advice—don’t believe the word ‘no.’ People say ‘no’ all the time, whether it’s because of fear, doubt, or their own limitations. But if you let that word control you, if you accept it too easily, you miss out on everything that comes after it. It’s about pushing past the rejection and not letting it stop you from moving forward.”

Host: Jeeny’s words hang in the air, a quiet challenge between them. Jack stands still, his gaze softening as he considers the weight of her words. The world outside continues its rhythm, but inside, the conversation seems to have shifted into something deeper, something foundational.

Jack: (his voice quieter now, almost reflective) “So, you’re saying that failure, rejection—they’re just part of the process? That ‘no’ is just another step toward getting to ‘yes’?”

Jeeny: (nodding, her eyes bright with understanding, her voice steady and sure) “Exactly. Persistence is key. Every ‘no’ is just another step toward the right ‘yes.’ The world will tell you no, but it’s not about the world. It’s about you and whether or not you’re willing to keep going. Keep pushing even when it feels like the odds are stacked against you. Success doesn’t come from avoiding failure—it comes from learning how to keep going in the face of it.”

Jack: (pauses for a moment, his posture relaxing as he processes her words, his voice almost contemplative) “I see what you mean. It’s easy to give up after hearing ‘no.’ It feels like the end, like you’re not meant to go any further. But if you push through that, if you don’t let it define you, there’s always more to discover on the other side.”

Jeeny: (with a soft smile, her voice calm, but filled with quiet encouragement) “Yes, exactly. Every ‘no’ is just another hurdle. It’s not a roadblock unless you stop at it. The people who get ahead, the ones who make it, are the ones who keep going even when everyone else tells them to quit. Persistence is what separates the dreamers from the achievers.”

Host: The room feels lighter now, as though the weight of their conversation has begun to shift into something empowering. Jack looks at Jeeny, his expression softer, his thoughts clearly working through the realization that the key to success isn’t in avoiding failure, but in how you respond to it. The world outside continues its rhythm, but inside, the conversation has sparked a quiet understanding that perseverance is everything.

Jack: (his voice softer, almost with a note of admiration for the idea now) “Maybe it’s time to stop fearing the ‘no’s. To see them as part of the process, not as the end of the road.”

Jeeny: (smiling warmly, her voice filled with quiet confidence) “Exactly. No doesn’t mean stop—it means keep going. And eventually, you’ll find your way to the right yes.”

Host: As the night deepens and the world outside continues its quiet rhythm, inside, the conversation lingers—reminding both Jeeny and Jack that success is not about avoiding rejection or failure. It’s about learning to persist, to push past the ‘no’s, and keep moving forward toward what’s possible. And in that persistence, lies the power to achieve everything you set out to do.