This morning I woke up to an email apologetically (but a bit too perkily) informing me that I hadn’t gotten into a business accelerator program to which I had applied. It was a competitive, Australia-wide, elite competition with thousands of entries. But still, it was disappointing and discouraging to not get in.
My gut response to rejections like that, after the initial disappointment, is something along the lines of, “I can’t wait until the day when I can prove to [any on the growing list of entities I’ve been rejected by in my entrepreneurial career] how big a mistake that was.”
I’m not sure that’s particularly mature or healthy. Sure, there might be some catalyzing fire in there that’s useful. But I also don’t ever want to become someone that would hold a previous decision or projection – because that’s what it is, picking probabilities – over someone else’s head.
It made me wonder about reactions other people have to rejection. What’s the line? What do you say to yourself? What’s the emotional response?
Would love to hear.
-LS
Ok so yes, the original reaction is one of anger, but you’re right that it can be catalyzing & productive! And especially if that’s something you hold internally as anger and convert (not suppress) it into motivational self-talk while processing the frustration concurrently, that’s good stuff. Hold em both.
For sure. Thank you Ry. Is your story similar or does it look/sound different when you feel hurt or rejected? Would love to hear if you want to share.
-LS