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Rejection Can’t Be a Bad Thing
If someone told me ten years ago that I was going to write a post with this title, I’d be ecstatic but terrified. I’d be happy to shake the noose of the fear of rejection but I clung to the fear for dear life. It protected me from potential failure. And failure is simply the worst thing ever.
I wrote about how failure is not only good but necessary earlier this month, because it really is. No one knows how to do anything well the first time they do it. Even if you have a knack, it doesn’t mean you’re a world-beater; you’re not a pro. Besides, why cheat yourself out of the opportunity to learn something you value? Sure, it feels good to be that much better than others, but it’s a flimsy rack to hang your hat, especially when you then approach something you’re naturally untalented at.
I mention this to say that one should try to avoid developing an identity around how much better one is than others at something. You will cling to what you know and never venture out of your comfort zone. You will live in fear of failure and rejection.
Like failure, rejection can’t be a bad thing because, as I wrote earlier, there’s things you don’t know. And because you don’t know them, you will be unable to get what you want where you’re trying to get it and how you’re trying to get it.
