Read Time: 4 minutes and 55 seconds.

Picture this.

Your phone rings and the interviewer on the other end drops the bad news.

You didn’t get the job.

After months of applying and having your heart set on this job, it hurts to receive the rejection.

Feeling frustration and anger begin to build, you drop your phone on the table and wonder where it all went wrong.

—

A few months later, you run into an ex-colleague at the supermarket.

“Hey man, it’s great to see you. How are things?”

“To be honest, not so great. Remember the firm we talked about applying to?”

“Yeah, I know the one. Sadly I got rejected from that role”

“Count your lucky stars! I don’t think I’ve worked in a more toxic environment. The management is clueless and my co-workers are difficult to work with!”

Internally, you’re completely shocked.

The role you’d craved so desperately, didn’t sound like something you’d want after all.

All of a sudden, you’re grateful for the rejection and where it’s taken you in life.

Are you surprised by this outcome?

In this edition of The Path Toward Purpose we’re going to explore From Rejection to Redirection: A Step-by-Step Guide to Turning Setbacks into Success and why rejection is often the best thing that can happen to us, if we use it to spur us onward.

Let’s get into it…

 The Foundations of Rejection

When you’re rejected it hurts.

It can feel like you’ve been rejected for being the person you are, yet this isn’t always the case.

Rejection from a person, company or opportunity rarely has anything to do with you personally.

The presence, path and skillset you offer, just isn’t in alignment with the opportunity.

But that doesn’t mean that you don’t have anything to offer the world.

Rather, it means that you’ve been given the opportunity to FIND an opportunity that suits you better.

True alignment isn’t easy to discover, unless we navigate a sea of rejection.

Only when we know what we DON’T want, can we begin to search for what we DO want.

 The Mental Framework

In your world, you’re the main character.

Yet, this is the case for every single person in existence.

We’re all writing our story simultaneously, and we all play starring roles in each other’s life.

Yet, in reality the importance we place on ourselves has very little to do with other people.

People are always inclined to choose what suits their reality best, and if what we offer isn’t in alignment, then we may face rejection.

However, when you can take a step back and view rejection for what it truly is.

You’ll see that it’s actually a redirection.

It’s a north star that continues to push you towards a life in alignment to your skills, talents and values.

 How-To Apply This

Turning rejection into redirection is only possible if your mind is in the right place.

Without a strong, resilient mindset, it’s likely that rejection will hurt. A lot.

Here’s what you can do about it.

Step 1. Moderate Your Emotions

Rejection will destroy you if your emotions take center stage.

It’s where you feel hard done by, enter into a negative mindset, and spiral into the mental abyss.

Don’t let this happen.

Clear your mind and retain a strong sense of belief in yourself.

To do this you could:

→ Meditate
→ Journal
→ Exercise
→ Practice Breathwork

Hold yourself back from drowning in negativity.

It’s the only way that you’ll be able to analyze the rejection and understand more about why it’s happened.

Step 2. Analyze The Setback

Logic is required to deconstruct a problem.

Emotions are essential to help you empathize and relate to other individuals.

Yet, to understand more about an outcome, we must break it down.

Let’s return to the job offer rejection scenario, as it provides a contextual basis.

In this scenario, you’d want to unpack the following:

→ Did you really want this job, or did you just need a higher income?​
​
​→ Are you really excited about the work involved?
​
→ Is there another opportunity that your talents would serve better?
​
→ Why do you think that perhaps you weren’t the best candidate?

Self-reflection questions are a game changer.

When you can whittle down rejection to its most granular form, you’ll have your answer.

Often, what you thought you wanted, may not have been what would serve you best.

Step 3. Plan and Take Action

Plan A didn’t work.

What about Plan B, C, D & E?

Always have a contingency plan in case your first plan doesn’t pan out.

It’s not about a lack of belief, but rather a strategic move.

Be ahead of the curve and think of what will and won’t happen in the event of rejection.

The most important thing you can have in life is options.

Yet, the problem lies in placing all your eggs in one basket.

Don’t do this, it’s a recipe for disaster.

Instead, diversify your risk and manage your options carefully.

Have multiple plans in place, in case your desired outcome doesn’t come to fruition.

Instead of having your heart set on one outcome, it’s merely a blip on your radar.

You’ve got other opportunities in wait, ready for you to take action.

🚀 Next Steps

Rejection will always show you to the next chapter in your life.

It’s going to hurt in the moment, but the important thing to remember is that the pain of today, doesn’t have to be the pain of tomorrow.

You get to choose where to draw the boundary.

Because the only way rejection becomes redirection, is if you can think and process your emotions clearly.

Otherwise, you risk being caught adrift, losing your way forward and making bad decisions based on a single setback.

Life is too short to be hung up on what you didn’t get.

Instead, focus on what you can have and work towards it.

That’s true redirection.

In the next edition, I’ll be deconstructing how to create unlimited confidence. You’re not struggling with low confidence, instead, it’s a matter of a lack of clarity and self-perception. I’m going to show you how to turn it around. I can’t wait to share this with you!