If you’re in a season of rejection, know that this won’t last forever. Whether it's rejection from schools, programs, or jobs you've applied to, or rejections in writing or other pursuits, here are some words to help encourage you that have helped me:
1. This one rejection is not the end. There is more ahead for me. I will not let this stop me.
2. I celebrate each time I fail because at least I had the courage to try.
3. This rejection does not define who I am. My worth goes beyond any attempt at success, any failure. My worth goes far beyond what I do or what I achieve.
4. Even here, I have something to learn. It might be how to improve my skills, my patience, or my resilience.
5. One day, someone else will face this obstacle, and I will encourage them to keep going and help them find a path to success.
Some helpful quotes from others:
“Only one attitude enabled me to move ahead. That attitude said, ‘Rejection can simply mean redirection.'”
- Maya Angelou
“A rejection is nothing more than a necessary step in the pursuit of success.”
- Bo Bennett
“By the time I was fourteen the nail in my wall would no longer support the weight of the rejection slips impaled upon it. I replaced the nail with a spike and went on writing.”
- Stephen King
“Remember, the pain of rejection is nothing compared to the pain of regret.”
- Matthew Hussey
“I still get rejections - frequently - and my goal isn't to never fail, to never be turned down, but simply to succeed more often than I don't. And in order to do that, I have to constantly put myself out there, to judgment, critique, and rejection.”
- V.E. Schwab
“There are going to be a hundred thousand doors slammed in your face before one opens, so feel okay about taking rejection.”
- Heather Matarazzo
“All risk risks rejection…Very often, it is perseverance—not talent—which wins the day. Too often, we become discouraged by a single rejection. We forget that negative criticism is only one person’s opinion. Discouraged, we fail to go forward. This is where we often need the help of a “Believing Mirror”– someone who sees our potential and the potential of our work.”
- Julia Cameron
“I love my rejection slips. They show me I try.”
- Sylvia Plath
“Rejection is a common occurrence. Learning that early and often will help you build up the tolerance and resistance to keep going and keep trying.”
- Kevin Feige
“Every rejection is incremental payment on your dues that in some way will be translated back into your work.”
- James Lee Burke
“Learning to work with rejection, learning how rejection can propel you forward, whether you’re deciding to get better or you’re deciding to move on — you just can’t let it be an obstacle.”
- Alexander Chee
“When you're following your inner voice, doors tend to eventually open for you, even if they mostly slam at first.”
- Kelly Cutrone