Nobody likes being rejected.  Yet every single one of us will face it at some point.  And the more risks you take, your odds of being rejected will go up too.  The bigger the risk, the bigger the possible set backs…but also, the bigger the win.

So how do we ‘manage’ rejection so it doesn’t stop us in our tracks?

We can start by being honest about it and then using the rejection as a push forward.

The ‘honest’ part of it is two-fold.  Not everything is for everyone.  And nobody is loved by 100% of the people.  Everyone has their specific likes and dislikes.  So you will always have those people who just won’t accept you, your projects, your humor, whatever, regardless of what you do.

Next, ask yourself if you have anything to learn from the rejection.  Sometimes there is a nugget of good feedback in being rejected.  This is not an opportunity to beat yourself up!  This is a chance to step back, put your ego aside, and see if you could have done things differently and if that would be an improvement.

Then, ask yourself, “What’s next?”.  By asking yourself this question, you are redirecting your brain to look for new things to do rather than staying stuck licking your wounds. 

Get in the habit of asking yourself that question every day.  The first thing that will happen is you’ll notice you’re getting more done!  But more importantly, you’ll already be in the habit of pivoting away from what stops you and towards what you can actually do about it.  Cuddling up to ‘feeling sorry for yourself’ cannot exist if you are in creation mode.

So, when you get hit with rejection, remember…nobody wins 100% of the time.  Ask, “Is there anything I can learn from this?”.  And finally ask yourself, “What’s next?”.  And then go do it!

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