On ‘REJECTION IS PART OF THE GAME’ By Mwangi Ndegwa

If there is something that brings fear in people trying out new things, then it is the fear of rejection. I have two scenarios to...


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If there is something that brings fear in people trying out new things, then it is the fear of rejection. I have two scenarios to share:

Scenario One: John is a young man in his early twenties and has just secured his first job. In the same organization is a very beautiful lady Kate whom John is attracted to. Kate is what any man would look for in a lady. The dilemma for John is, he feels a bit inadequate and this stops him from approaching Kate. Reason being: she was hired before him, is leading a more affluent life than him, there are other men within the same organization who, according to John, would be in a better position to win her heart by virtue of having higher salaries than him. Unknown to John, Kate harbours secret admiration for him and wishes he would be bold enough to approach her.

Scenario Two: Tina is a sharp, highly educated lady who has been working in a company for three years. Her work acumen is extremely high. She believes that it is time for her to move up the career ladder or launch in to something more challenging. A new company from overseas has opened a store nearby and she is among the top people any company would wish to have on board but she fears applying for a job there, fearing that the directors in this new company might reject her application.

In these two scenarios, these two have an opportunity of a lifetime but their fear of rejection makes them unable to make bold moves. While it is true that sometimes our requests are rejected, this is not the default thing. In the same way that it gets rejected, it can also be accepted. Many a time, our fears are unfounded and may be those who we thought would reject us are in fact waiting for us to make the first move and are more than willing to accommodate us. The problem is, it is often not the rejection but rather, the fear of rejection that freezes us. If there is one thing that we need to deal with, it is fear. This  crippling feeling has resulted in people who would have otherwise been successful remaining stagnant and in one place. Many have lost opportunities in life because of this four letter word FEAR. Rejection does not mean that we are not good enough; indeed, it only shows us either what we need to do to improve or what is better for us. The fact you applied for a job and your request was rejected or you approached a man or a woman and they rejected your proposal doesn’t reflect how good or bad you are. It is just that person’s or organization’s opinion so just keep on trying and you will finally succeed. “I would rather try and fail than not try at all.” Quote from a William O’Briens poem. Its in rejection that we learn patience, perseverance and persistence. So you were rejected last time? Try again! To read more posts by Mwangi, click HERE

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