A managing partner I consult with at a large professional services firm, let’s call him Evan, was recently dealt a painful blow: a high seven-figure proposal he was certain his team landed got awarded to the competition.
How to Bounce Back from Rejection
Vying for a major promotion or new job, selling big ticket offerings, or pitching high-stakes ideas to your boss, are all potential places for significant rejection. But there are some strategies to help you overcome the tendency to internalize it and effectively channel your herculean grit. First, no matter how high the stakes are, don’t allow your anticipation of any outcome to morph into an expectation. You could be setting yourself up for magnified pain if things don’t work out as you hoped. Second, embrace the pain of rejection. Many successful people either bury it, or overindulge it, neither of which is productive. The first thing to do with pain is to acknowledge it. Finally, learn with humility. There are unquestionably important lessons you can glean from painful rejection. With your emotions in check, you can more objectively see what part you played in a decision not going your way, and hopefully, find the courage to grow.