There was a time REJECTION made me miserable and unmotivated. But as the time went by, I have changed my perception on rejection. This change of thought was so powerful that I was able to turn rejections into opportunities.
*Leaving this note to let you know that I am sharing my life experiences with people who have bigger dreams. I don’t have much to offer for chronic complainers and negative people. In fact, I stay away from them.
The worst thing about rejection was the fear of failure. I kept asking myself what if they say no again? What if they humiliate me again? What if they keep complaining? You see, there were a lot of what-ifs. I could recall the faces of those who made fun of me, insulted me, ill-treated me, and even those who refused to talk to me. I used to think why is this always happening to me? Rejection, rejection and rejection! Luckily I dealt with it before it got too late, before I blamed “rejection” for my potential losses.
I realised that the rejection I was receiving, on many occasions, was irrelevant to me. So to start with, when I came across anyone who was irrelevant to my dreams, irrelevant to what I want in life, irrelevant to my values, I just ignored rejection that generated from those sources. I tagged it as “irrelevant rejection.”
Irrelevant rejection mainly comes from irrelevant people. In my case, there were people who rejected my companionship just because I was having hard times. I was rejected in personal relationships by people who had no value for honesty or love. Business partners rejected me because they only knew how to share profits not risks. I realised these people had no logic for rejecting me. They did it for some strange pleasure they had within them, which I still do not understand. But I understood that most of these people, regardless of where they come from, have little to no experience in life. They are, mostly, selfish and small-minded. Answering or addressing their illogical concerns was a waste of my time. And to me, time is valuable.
If you attract wrong people in life, irrelevant rejection is certain. It comes after you like an unavoidable thread. Hence, It’s important to spot the irrelevant and ignore it before you personally or professionally get attached to the irrelevant. Failing to do so can drive you far away from your goals.
On the other side of the spectrum, I found "relevant rejection.” This relevant rejection was a powerful way of indicating to me where and when I should pay my attention and what I need to improve. To start with, I started spending more time with people who can add value to my success and my journey. I started associating with people who I can add value to. Since then, every time I face rejection, (un)surprisingly, I get better.
Ever since I started dealing with relevant people, good things started to happen; when a potential customer rejected me, it was clear that I had to work smarter and harder. When I am rejected in relationships that come with high values of honesty and love, I know I can’t afford to give up on them.
Rejection after rejection after rejection, I learnt something new. I made more money, met good people and built good relationships. The beauty is, when you are rejected for the right reasons, there is always room to improve and develop. This way, rejection turns into opportunity rather than fuelling demotivation. So embrace it, and be grateful for it!
Over the years, I have trained my brain to deal with rejection like a winner. Whether the answer is yes or no, I am a winner, as my response is mainly intellectual and constructive. Now I hardly see negative people around me. I now see positivity. I see healthy people who help and nurture each other to have a better life. Remember, birds of a feather flock together.
Don’t let rejection make you a coward. Challenge obstacles like there is nothing called rejection or mistakes, but opportunities to grow, improve and empower. That’s how winners are made.
Love to all!
Thanks for your time,
Hasitha Rodrigo
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