For many years, I suppressed my dream of being a writer. I made every excuse imaginable to stay in my comfort zone. Before I could break through my self-imposed limitations, I had to listen to my life to know exactly what I was fighting.
The fear of rejection is an enemy I have to regularly stare down and fight. And it’s a common enemy faced by nearly every writer I know.
“What if people don’t like what I have to say?” “What if no one thinks my writing is any good?” “What if someone leaves a scathing review online?” These are common questions that can plague the thoughts of any writer. And if we allow them to, these endless “what if” questions can have the power to imprison us in an open cell of fear.
But hear me when I say this: The fear you feel is normal. What I’ve learned from writers and my own experience is that you never stop feeling fear. You just have to learn how to move on in spite of it.
This week on The Portfolio Life, Jia Jiang and I discuss how intentionally seeking out rejection for 100 days helped him to overcome the fear of rejection. Jia had a dream of becoming an entrepreneur, but he was on the verge of throwing in the towel after being rejected by a potential investor. Thankfully for Jia, the rejection he experienced led him to listen to his life, face the fear of rejection and move forward through the crippling fear he felt in pursuit of his dream.
Listen in as Jia shares stories and the lessons he learned from seeking out rejection. Since rejection comes with the territory of being a writer, I encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity to learn from someone who's having success overcoming their fears.
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Show highlights
In this episode, Jia and I discuss:
- The three things Jia learned from pursuing rejection.
- One small thing you can do to overcome big fears.
- What successful people do not do after being rejected.
- Why we need to push through our personal comfort zones for personal growth.
- Jia’s decision to no longer (literally) run away from rejection.
- Why the fear of rejection is all about perspective.
- How succumbing to the fear of rejection will lead you to miss opportunities.
- Why rejecting ourselves is the worst kind of rejection.
Quotes and takeaways
- Rejecting ourselves is the worst kind of rejection.
- “Avoiding rejection is worse than receiving it.” —Jia Jiang.
- Taking a small step out of your comfort zone can lead to big strides of courage.
Resources
- Rejection Proof, by Jia Jiang.
- Jia Jiang’s website, Fearbuster.com.
- Surprising Lessons From 100 Days of Rejection, Jia Jiang’s TEDx talk.
- Download the full interview transcript here.
What is one small step you can take today to help move you towards overcoming your fear of rejection? Share in the comments.