I must admit that from my perch, the most revered injury in showbiz, is not the agony of defeat, or the woe of failure. The most respected and time-honored pain in this industry, are the battle scars of rejection. The more wounds you have, the more war-stories you get to tell, “I was THAT close to getting a major record deal!”

More often then not I hear more stories of rejection then I do of success. It seems as though the rejection stories have more drama and pathos in them so they’re the ones that get expressed with the most urgency.

It’s common knowledge that rejection is a regular occurrence in our business, but that’s the risk you take when you hang a “for sale” sign on your talent—you risk no one wanting to buy it. The payoff, however, is worth the risk. The payoff is the possibility that the world could benefit from the results of your creativity. That’s a pretty good payoff if you ask me!

I believe that the secret to accepting the sting of rejection with grace and dignity is, “DON’T ACCEPT IT WITH GRACE AND DIGNITY!” React honestly, and let your emotions run free! If your reaction is sadness, go ahead and be sad, if your reaction is anger, go ahead and get mad, and if your reaction is apathy, be apathetic for a day or two. Who knows, your reaction to rejection may be joy and gratitude: “I’m SO glad that I didn’t get that gig!”

So, I think that the crucial thing to remember is that whenever your songs, your appearance, or your talent is rejected, don’t allow the experience to halt or stall the momentum of your career. React to the rejection honestly and completely, then “let it go” and keep moving forward. Because the challenge is not the rejection itself, it’s your reaction to it.

Peace,
Michael

Tags: Motivation, Rejection

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