Rejection, competition, failure, trying your best – it’s all in this month’s intent.
I’m writing this two days after two big rejections…
These felt personal… They weren’t!
Sometimes you pitch/ apply for something and you feel chilled either way… other times it would be SO GOOD if it came off you just feel a bit sick and sad when they don’t.
I try not to get attached to outcomes but sometimes you just need to honor the deep emotional hole rejection puts you in right?
I decided to write this post as I want to go deeper with what I’m really feeling with this disappointment this month and grow some in the process. I have to reapply for one of the projects – I’ve got no choice in that really so I have to reflect and move on and quickly!
So I’ve set myself a challenge in my monthly intent for March. It’s called ‘Pitch Perfect’.
Success metrics and how we measure them.
If we explore how to become ‘less heavy’ in expectation of what others say is ‘good’ and breathe into our own feeling of knowing we gave it our all… Does this/can this make rejection easier?
Breaking down perfection…’the best fit’, ‘the right time’, ‘standing out from the competition’ is really just a whole load of stuff you can’t control.
And you really can’t beat yourself up with things you can’t control… well you can but life’s short guys!
Being the best I can be, right here, right now is really the only thing I know I can decide and follow through on.
So why ‘Pitch Perfect’?
Working in the arts sector, I’ve become very used to dusting myself off and focussing my energy on the next thing. (I wrote a post about vulnerability here if you fancy a read.)
Jobs are competitive, egos can be large, funds are not in abundance, people work for less than they’re worth…ALOT!
This, of course is just the negative side and you know I LOVE my work and celebrate so much wonder and enchantment each year with this career choice.
And that’s why I’m focussing on growth, reflection, and new challenges.
I can’t get beat up by rejection because the only person who knows how brilliant I am is me – I’ve been doing this work for my entire career and no other colleague, funder or friend knows what I can do.
Bravery and Rejection
Inspired by Tiffany Han’s 100 Rejection Letters, I’ve started my own measure of bravery called ‘Pitch Perfect’. I’m new to Tiffany’s work but I immediately connected to the concept – 100 attempts, 100 times to be brave, and with more attempts of course more chance of a YES!
So on an adult sticker sheet entitled ‘Pitch Perfect’ I am sticking one of L’s stickers and writing the title of the project I applied for and didn’t get in rows. I’ll stop when it’s full. It’s on the wall in the office.
I have decided to consciously see these rejections each time I use the printer in there.
I’m also going to start one in a different format for everything I’m proud of. I was tempted to do it on the same sheet but I’m going to see how staring at these rejections for the month makes me feel first. I’m READY!
Scoping out ideas in 2017
From me to you… if you’re reading this connecting to anything I say… come join me and we can celebrate how hard we try together and pop the bubbles / eat all the chocolate in celebration just for giving it our best shot!
Claire x