This could be your defining moment…What do Scott McNealy, Steven Spielberg, Harold Varmus (winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine),  and Warren Buffett have in common?  They were all rejected from their college of choice.  Bill Gates and Ted Turner attended but didn’t graduate.  Interesting article in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal – these people all speak of their defining moment.  It reminded me of the time I was fired…not laid off, but down right fired!  This was a defining moment that led to the greatest success of my life, and that is how these people, rejected from their school of choice see it as well.  This type of event may cause you to feel rejected, like a lost sale or missed promotion…or, it may change your life.  It’s your choice.  My response; I created the most exciting interviewing process I’ve ever seen – presenting thought leadership ideas to business leaders rather than searching for job adds.  This created a platform for my current business!  It was so exciting I wanted to spend the rest of my life job hunting…but given multiple job opportunities and the desire for a paycheck, I accepted one, going to work for a nationwide integrator.  My response led to, “I started my company today”.  Rather than dwelling on rejection, I turned it into an opportunity.   I’ve never looked back.  Not only have I enjoyed these past seven years more than any other time in my life as a professional, but it has also been the most profitable stint of my career.  Whether you’ve lost a big deal, lost a job, or  something of greater value, how you respond makes all the difference in the world.  The irony is that I was eventually hired me back to consult and train their sales team.