“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” — Winston Churchill

A producer fired Oprah Winfrey after being called, ” Unfit for television.” J.K Rowling’s ‘Harry Potter’ script was rejected 12 times. Stephen King’s ‘Carrie’ was rejected 30 times before it was published. Henry Ford went through bankruptcy twice before successfully launching the ‘Ford’ Company. Thomas Edison failed some 10,000 times before inventing a commercially the viable electric bulb.

The lesson is clear from all the above instances. Rock-bottom can serve as the solid foundation on which you rebuild your life.

Upside To Rejection

  • Reaffirm Your Goals – If you decide to give up on your dreams after a few setbacks then maybe you didn’t want them that bad. Take hurdles as opportunities to rethink your decisions and desired outcomes.
  • Appreciate Wins, Even Small Ones – Use any good news to get back on your feet and give your ambitions your best shot. Stay motivated and focused.
  • Stay Sharp – Use rejection as an opportunity to think about anything that you might be doing wrong or can do better. Always find the sunny side in things.
  • No Fake Friends – Hard times tend to show us who are true friends are, use this to weed out opportunistic and self-serving people from your life.

Learnings From Rejection

  1. No Pain, No Gain – Understand that nothing worth having comes easy. And that sometimes in life to attain great things we have to make small sacrifices along the way. We cannot let setbacks and few obstacles on the path waver us.
  2. Learn From It – Find constructive criticism in every rejection letter or speech. Use them to your advantage and see if there is any scope for betterment.
  3. Invest In Self Care – Do not sacrifice your health for anything in this world. Because that is the one thing, you cannot get back. Always find time for yourself, keep yourself nutrition, hydrated and well-rested.
  4. Don’t Kick Yourself When You’re Down – Do not see rejection as a sum of all your flaws. Do not let it extend to every aspect of your life or let it affect how you look at yourself.
  5. Grow A Thick Skin – Stay focused on your goals and decide that they are what matter.
  6. Know That You Are Supported – Always find solace in friends and family. People who are sure to keep reminding you your worth, lest you forget it.