10,000 Nos: How to Overcome Rejection on the Way to Your Yes

by Matthew Del Negro

Learn how to persevere and pivot to achieve your goals from a celebrated Hollywood actor

10,000 NO How to Overcome Rejection on the Way to Your YES chronicles actor Matthew Del Negro's tough journey from humble beginnings, through a sea of rejections, on the way to his eventual rise to become a recognizable face on some of history's most acclaimed television shows. Along the way, he learned hard lessons about perseverance, persistence, and resilience. Teaching readers how to make it through the tough times and deal with massive uncertainty by retaining the flexibility to change course and pivot to follow your passion, Del Negro explains how to achieve success in even the most competitive industries.

The book, which delves into his personal story from Division I athlete to his professional dream of becoming an actor without any show business connections, shares the wisdom and knowledge Del Negro has gained from both his failures and successes in one of America's most competitive professional acting.

Amidst his own stories from life and acting, Del Negro weaves anecdotes and quotes from interviews he has had with a wide range of inspirational people from all walks of life on his popular podcast, 10,000 NOs. The list of high-achievers includes professional athletes, bestselling authors, Forbes list entrepreneurs, cancer survivors, Hollywood elite, and more. His celebrated and top-ranked podcast in the U.S., Canada, and Australia, continues to inspire others to keep going even when their progress seems infinitesimally slow.

Genres: Nonfiction

211 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 20, 2020

Reviews

[Jayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Say "Yes!" to the "No" book.

It's inspirational, informative, and will remind you that anything is possible if you have a positive attitude and keep on trying.

I listened to the audiobook, expertly narrated by the author.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

10,000 Nos: How to Overcome Rejection on the Way to Your YES by Matthew Del Negro
Narrated by Matthew Del Negro
Publisher: RB Media, Gildan Media
Genre: Business & Investing | Self-Help
Publication Date: March 30, 2021

10,000 Nos: How to Overcome Rejection on the Way to Your YES by Matthew Del Negro is a personal development/memoir.

I had not previously heard of the author and did not know he had a podcast (10,000 Nos). I think that detracted from my enjoyment of the book some.

The narration was good. The author has a pleasant voice and intonation. There were some weird parts, such as when the author was reading quotes. This might actually work better as a physical read.

I found the book to be an interesting retelling of the author's journey to success.

I'm so grateful to Matthew Del Negro, RB Media, Gildan Media, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ARC audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

[Amelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m giving it 3 because it’s grammar etc is acceptable & it’s coherent. Overall tho, this book was a bore. As far as content, it’s a 2 star.
It definitely didn’t cover the power of no enough, making the title misleading.
The “advice” is basic & elementary level. There is absolutely nothing new or enlightening. Old ideas are not presented in new, creative ways either.
It reads like a well written essay by a high schooler for much of it.
There are cliches & overused phrases all throughout.
Presenting Hernan Cortez’s cruel conquering of the Indigenous as a positive accomplishment is not even close to ok.
I almost DNF’d right there & then. I rarely to never DNF.
At least that part spiked my interest, I guess. The rest was mind numbing & painstakingly ordinary.
A copy was made available to me in NetGalley. Gotta keep that feedback percentage up, otherwise I wouldn’t have continued.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan on Matt Del Negro’s 10,000 Nos podcast, I eagerly awaited the release of this book, and I was not disappointed. In retracing his own journey through the peaks and valleys of life as an actor, and gleaning wisdom from life experiences and interactions with everyone from high school coaches to Jimmy Smits, his book becomes a guide for anyone who has a dream. I highly recommend for actors, of course, but also for writers, artists and entrepreneurs, really anybody who needs to be reminded that it’s a marathon, not a sprint, and failure is part of the journey.

[Erin Galvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for anyone looking for inspiration on the uphill climb to their dreams. No cheesy quotes, just real life scenarios and motivation to give you the push you need to get started or to keep going. Highly recommend for any recent high school or college grad, but truly helpful at any age. Matt writes like he is talking to friends and family. His relatable personality makes the reader feel like they are in the trenches with him. I finished the book in one sitting but find myself leafing through various chapters for reference whenever I need motivation or guidance.

[Leigh J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to this on Audible. It’s well written, thoughtful and funny. The only issue is that he starts various sections with quotes from others, but it’s not clear each time that is what is happening. A couple of times it was very confusing and I thought I had missed some portion of the narrative of his story - only to then realize that he was reading a quote from someone else and then went back to his story after the quote. I’d imagine in the text it’s much clearer that is what is happening. Other than that, it’s very good.

[Am · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that I will surely listen to again in the future.

[Eras Noel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice read! Read this for a reminder of how great you are and how to keep moving forward. I really appreciated his references and analysis of certain movie scenes (Shawshank Redemption).

[Laura Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am a fan of Matthew Del Negro as an actor. I was not familiar with his podcast but when I saw he wrote a book I wanted to read it right away. I got approved to read it through NetGalley but unfortunately the download didn't work so I waited until it was released.

10,000 Nos is a book about succeeding no matter what life throws at you. We all face challenges but it's how you overcome those challenges that is important. I still haven't listened to the podcast but it sounded like he gathered all the information he has gathered from different people over the years to help show the reader how to rise above rejection and turn a "no" into a "yes". In that regard, the book was very good. Del Negro does a good job of this and shares a number of stories from those he has interviewed, I personally was hoping for some more information about him and stories from working as an actor but that is just because I like him so much as an actor!