How do we deal with rejection? Abraham Lincoln careened through a series of failures before becoming one of America's greatest presidents. A dozen publishers rejected J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. Michael Jordan didn't make the varsity as a sophomore in high school. Joe Montana quarterbacked four Super Bowl champions...and he led his teams to three first round NFL playoff eliminations.
Author Judy Blume keeps a folder of rejection letters. Horror maven Stephen King impaled his rejections on a nail. Rejection is inevitable. We decide how we cope with it.
Dennis Rodman worked as an airport custodian at age eighteen, until a growth spurt started his basketball career at a Cook County College. The rest is history. For most, overnight success is an oxymoron.
Persistence is the antidote to rejection. Move on. Let it go. Or use failure, a chip on the shoulder, to fuel future success. Most know that Tom Brady's draft number, 199, inspired him to eight Super Bowl appearances and five championships.
Reputation and talent don't automatically translate to success. Brad Stevens says, "I think that's the question for our whole team will be how we don't skip steps on the defensive end." Coach Gregg Popovich reminds players to "pound the rock." If it takes 100 blows to break it in two, then shortcuts fail.
Mindset matters. In Search Inside Yourself, Chade-Meng Tan writes, "Martin Seligman, the highly esteemed father of learned optimism, calls it the “explanatory style”— how we talk to ourselves when we experience a setback. People who are optimistic react to setbacks from a presumption of personal power. They feel that setbacks are temporary, are isolated to particular circumstances, and can eventually be overcome by effort and abilities. In contrast, people who are pessimistic react to setbacks from a presumption of personal helplessness."
Failure isn't final unless we allow it to be.
Lagniappe:
Form begets function. Coach Castellaw shares form tips to extend your range and improve accuracy. Many players have cellphones...check your form with cellphone video.