There’s something ironically satisfying that goes into rejection, whether it may be from admission into your dream school, a spot on a team, the attention of someone you want, etc.
Before you think I’m crazy for making this claim I’m going to start out by asking you to try and recollect the emotion, reaction, and outcome of the last time you were rejected in mind while reading this.
What I’m trying to get out of this is that when you aren’t chosen, when you’re overlooked and feel so broken and frustrated, because you thought you did everything you could it sets the bar higher, the requirements for what you need to do to get to where you want to be is more efficient now, and the journey to get there will be tiring but it will also be rewarding.
And do not get me wrong here, often in life you’re going to come across people who don’t see your potential or who aren’t good enough for you, but this concept still applies even in those scenarios.
But there is just something about rejection overall that toughens your skin and makes you keep climbing higher than you thought you ever could even after giving, whatever it may be, your everything and it still not being enough.
We are human and to get let down in life here and there is inevitable, but the trick is the do everything you can to decrease the odds against you.
It may be working twice as hard to get that spot on the team even if it means working harder than you already did, it may be looking at yourself in the mirror for once and not being naïve to mistakes that you consistently make with people, it could mean taking time out to get tutored more because the sacrifices you were already making to get into that college just wasn’t cutting it.
Being someone who was never the player in the spotlight or the kid who had learning disabilities and just couldn’t get the grades they deserved, I know rejection hurts.
Looking at others around you who have things handed to them either because they are just naturally athletic or retain information faster is infuriating but it became my fuel.
I started to understand that for me to be wanted, I needed to put in that much extra work in soccer and school than other people because for me it did not come as easy, and still to this day I have certain situations where I am overlooked and my mindset on that will forever stand still; I make being needed in a certain setting be my fuel.
The way rejection becomes oddly satisfying to me is when you have finally done enough that you, personally, needed to do to get to the top.
You had enough self-discipline and persistence to help you keep going.
Again, there will be times where the 155% you give still isn’t enough for people, and that is on them, but it is up to you to be honest with yourself and evaluate every possible way you can be the best you in every want you have for yourself.
When it really comes down to it, in situations where you have to put in the work to succeed--so basically every situation--there comes a point where you have to knock it off with the excuses. This means eliminating any reason why you can’t make the team or why you can’t get that 4.0.
Give people a reason to want you and give yourself a reason to have that pride and self-satisfaction that comes with doing everything you can to never feel what being rejected once made you feel again.
Let prior rejection break you and make you insecure or you can let it inspire you to innovate something new and great with the 24 hours that every individual has.
The choice is yours.
