How Rejection Made Me a Better Person and a More Successful Professional
Rejection is a common and inevitable part of life. Whether it’s from a potential client, a publisher, a partner, or a boss, rejection can hurt and discourage us from pursuing our dreams. But rejection can also be a powerful catalyst for growth, learning, and resilience. In this, we will explore how some of the most successful people in the world have faced rejection and used it as a motivation to achieve their goals.
Rejection is not personal
One of the first lessons to learn from rejection is that it is not personal. Rejection does not mean that you are worthless, incompetent, or unlovable. It simply means that you and the other party were not a good fit at that moment. Maybe they had different expectations, preferences, or needs than you. Maybe they were not ready for what you had to offer. Maybe they made a mistake or had a bias. Whatever the reason, rejection does not define you or your potential.
As Sarah Yeverovich, Vice President of Sales at Empowered Staffing wrote in Forbes: “It doesn’t matter if you run a startup or an established business with many years of success under your belt. Rejection is never easy. It is how you deal with it, learn, and grow that matters.”
Instead of taking rejection personally, try to see it as an opportunity to reflect on your strengths and weaknesses, your goals and values, and your feedback and improvement. Rejection can help you clarify what you really want out of life and what you need to do to get there.
Rejection is a sign of progress
Another lesson to learn from rejection is that it is a sign of progress. Rejection means that you are putting yourself out there, trying new things, taking risks, and challenging yourself. Rejection means that you are not settling for the status quo, but striving for something better. Rejection means that you are growing and learning.
As J.K. Rowling, the author of Harry Potter, said in her 2008 commencement speech at Harvard University “Failure meant a stripping away of the inessential. I stopped pretending to myself that I was anything other than what I was, and began to direct all my energy into finishing the only work that mattered to me.”
Rowling faced more than a dozen rejections from publishing houses before her first manuscript of Harry Potter was accepted. She was also a single mother living in poverty when she wrote her book. But she did not give up on her dream or her passion. She used her failure as a motivation to succeed in the one arena she believed she truly belonged.
Instead of seeing rejection as a setback, try to see it as a stepping stone. Rejection can help you discover new opportunities, new perspectives, and new paths that you might have otherwise missed. Rejection can help you refine your skills, your strategies, and your vision.
Rejection is an opportunity for resilience
A third lesson to learn from rejection is that it is an opportunity for resilience. Resilience is the ability to bounce back from adversity, to cope with stress and challenges, and to adapt to changing circumstances. Resilience is a key factor for success and happiness in life.
As Michael Jordan, the most famous basketball player in history, said: “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
Jordan was cut from his high school varsity team when he was 15 because he was too short. He did not let that stop him from becoming the star of the junior varsity team and later the varsity team. He went on to win six NBA championships, five MVP awards, and two Olympic gold medals.
Instead of letting rejection defeat you, try to let it inspire you. Rejection can help you develop your grit, your perseverance, and your confidence. Rejection can help you overcome your fears, your doubts, and your limitations.
Tips on how to learn from rejection
Here are some practical tips on how to learn from rejection and turn it into a positive experience:
- Take time to reflect and understand. Don’t rush to react or respond to rejection. Give yourself some space and time to process your emotions and thoughts. Try to identify what went wrong, what you can learn, and what you can do better next time. As Sarah Yeverovich wrote in Forbes: “Taking time to reflect is important because that is what leads to improvement.”
- Seek advice from a mentor. Sometimes, it helps to talk to someone who has been through similar situations and can offer you guidance, support, and perspective. A mentor can help you see the bigger picture, point out your strengths and areas for improvement, and suggest new opportunities or strategies. As Yeverovich also wrote: “Most, if not all, business leaders have dealt with rejection at some point in time.”
- Grow from it so the mistake is not repeated. Rejection can be a valuable feedback loop if you use it to improve your skills, knowledge, or performance. Don’t repeat the same mistakes or fall into the same patterns. Instead, use rejection as a motivation to work harder, smarter, or differently. As Michael Jordan said: “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
- Practice positive reframing. This is a way of being optimistic about rejection and seeing it as a challenge rather than a threat. For example, if someone turns down your idea for a project, you can look for another way to pursue it or find a better idea. If you need to reject someone else’s proposal, be kind but direct and try to provide constructive feedback. As wikiHow suggests: “For example, if someone turns down your idea to go on a date, you can look for a better match.”
- Try something new. Rejection can be an invitation to explore new possibilities, perspectives, or paths that you might have otherwise overlooked or ignored. Rejection can help you discover new aspects of yourself, your interests, or your goals. Don’t let rejection limit you or make you afraid of taking risks. Instead, let rejection inspire you to try something new. As Medium writer Shubham Kumar wrote: “It’s an invitation to try something new.”
Conclusion
Rejection is not the end of the world; it is the beginning of a new journey. Rejection can teach us valuable lessons about ourselves, our goals, and our potential. Rejection can help us grow, progress, and succeed.
Here are some key points to remember:
- Don’t take rejection personally
- See rejection as a sign of progress
- Use rejection as an opportunity for resilience
- Learn from rejection and improve yourself
- Be positive and optimistic about rejection
- Try something new after rejection
Rejection is not something to be avoided or feared; it is something to be embraced and learned from.
