Oct 27, 2020
How To Handle Rejections
How to handle REJECTIONS
No matter what people tell you, your words and ideas can change the world.” – Robin Williams
Rejection!
How does that word sound? I remember when my high school Mathematics teacher looked down on me, and disqualified me from participating in the major inter-school quiz competition.
I felt the pain. I looked stupid before my mate. And I vowed to become the best at Mathematics! Instead of turning her rejection to depression; I turned it to an inspiration that eventually made me one of the best at Mathematics in our class.
From Albert Einstein to Oprah Winfrey to Les Brown to Billy Graham; great people are familiar with rejections.
Stephen King’s manuscript was rejected more than 30 times by different publishers. He almost gave up but for the encouragement of his wife. Today, Stephen has sold more than 350 million books!
Jack Canfied and Mark Victor Hansen’s Chicken Soup for the Soul was rejected 300 times by the publishers. Today, they have sold over 500 million copies of CSFS series!
Walt Disney the enigma behind Mickey Mouse and Disney world got 302 rejections before he received a yes.
Colonel Sanders the founder of KFC got 1009 Nos before he got a yes.
The list goes on…
These men and women rejected rejections, and that was why they succeeded.
“I take rejection as someone blowing a bugle in my ear to wake me up and get going, rather than retreat.”
– Sylvester Stallone
How you handle REJECTIONS matter. I have seen people who have refused to stand before people and speak because the first time they attempted to speak, they were laughed at. Some have refused to write or sing because of past rejections.
In this article, I will share with you three strategies to handling rejections:
1. Don’t Internalize it.
Rejection can disappoint you, depress you and may even stop you in your tracks… learn not to take rejection so personally… if you’re honest with yourself and believe in your work, others will too.
Never allow rejections to get into your heart. “Externalize” it, don’t internalize it. If you allow the words or thoughts to keep playing in your mind, you may become paralyzed and afraid to stand up and get on.
Never forget this: nothing outside of you has the power to stop you in life.
2. Keep Turning!
I once read that the formula for handling rejections is, SWSWSWSW. It means that if you go out with your ideas, Some Will buy it, Some Won’t, So What? Someone else’s Waiting!
I love the story of David in the Bible when he said he could kill Goliath, his brother, Eliab, called him names, “You this little brat!” But the Bible says , “David turned to another person, and he kept turning till he got the attention of King Saul.”
That is what you need to do. If one person rejects you, turn to another person, and keep turning!
3. Don’t Reject Yourself!
I heard that the first time Benjamin Disraeli first attempted to speak in the parliament, he was laughed to scorn. But he said, “You may laugh as much as you can, but one day you will watch me speak before the world.” ( Paraphrased)
I love to tell my audience in my live seminars, “If people reject you, don’t join them to reject yourself!”
If you failed, dust yourself up, remember the lessons ,forget the details, and keep on moving!
Always bear in mind that if you give yourself opportunity to learn, fail, relearn and keep learning, nothing can stop you in life.
Every rejection is incremental payment on your dues that in some ways will be translated back into your work.
PS: Thanks for dropping by. Join the conversation, what strategies have helped you to effectively handle rejections? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section.
About the Author
Felix A. Duyilemi is the international best-selling author of “How To Borrow God’s Brain To Succeed” and other best-selling books
He helps businesses and individuals craft compelling stories, expand their concepts of possibilities, and dream bigger dreams.
When he’s not learning new concepts, he’s speaking or writing. Reach him at [email protected]
