Ashley Graham Shares How Every ‘No’ Propelled Her Career in a Positive ‘Direction’

The 38-year-old model’s sentiment on rejection has resonated with her massive fanbase.

Ashley Graham / Matt Crossick/WWD/Getty Images

Ashley Graham took to Instagram on Sunday, Feb. 1, to share some words of wisdom with her 21.1 million followers—specifically on “all the times that [she] heard [the word] no.”

The 38-year-old multihyphenate, who has strutted runways around the globe and headed to Broadway last spring as Chicago's Roxie Hart, admitted that her path to success had plenty of hurdles.

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“I was told I’d only ever be a catalogue model,” Graham recalled in the five-slide carousel’s second image, as she posed in an all-black ensemble. The mother of three showcased a long sleeve black dress adorned with fringe and paired her look with matching closed-toed pumps, studded statement earrings and a few gold rings. “I was told designers couldn’t dress me.”

In its third frame, she described how she shifted her mentality by recognizing that the rejection wasn't personal. Rather, it was purposeful. “For a long time, I thoughts the no’s were the message. That maybe they were trying to tell me something,” Graham continued. “But they weren’t the message. They were direction.”

Graham, who partnered with JC Penney in October on a curve-focused clothing line, doubled down on the messaging in the post’s caption. “They don’t really prepare you for how often you’ll hear ‘no,” the model started off the note.

She later added, “But what they really don’t prepare you for… is how those no’s eventually teach you everything you needed to know. About timing. About trust. About how to bet on yourself — even when the room goes quiet. Trying something new means risking the ‘no.’ But it also means opening the door to something bigger.”

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And while Graham detailed her own personal experience with rejection, her experience was far from unique. While some fans cheered on the model’s perseverance and positive mindset, others noted that her unwavering determination is inspiration for themselves and their own endeavors.

“Sometimes getting a no makes the yes even more powerful! ❤️,” one user declared.

“Yes! No means NEXT! ❤️,” another commenter chimed in separately.

“You have no idea how badly I needed to hear this! I love you Queen 💖💖,” a fan expressed.

“Thank you for this,” an individual agreed. “And congratulations to YOU for pushing through the no’s. What a wonderful reminded that the path will clear for me when it’s time. Til then I’m going to keep on trying ✨.”

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