Rejection 41: Sit in Police Car's Driver's Seat

Rejection is feared, and so are people with authority. Rejection from people with authority is terrifying.

In our society, police officers often represent authority, especial when they are handing out speeding tickets. Moreover, with guns, handcuffs and pepper sprays on their belts, they don't have the most welcoming present. Compounded by the fact that police officers are often portrayed in a dramatic and negative lights in the media and on the web, very few people walk up to them to strike up a conversation.

To test and conquer fear, I wanted to get rejected by anyone, including people with authority. Therefore, I walked up to an officer asking to do something I have always wanted - sitting in the drive seat of a police car.

After some nervous laughter and sweating, I was surprised by how easy he let me do it. There was no negotiation, just a straight 'yes'. After all, police officers are just people like you and me. Being treated with respect, they often give respect back. However, their jobs have also trained them to sense unusual body languages and behaviors. Had I been overly nervous or presumptuous, it might have turned out differently.

Learning: people with authority are people first. They are governed by the same physical and emotional rules like the rest of us. Don't act weird in front them, or you might get an easy rejection, or worse.