5 Ways To Handle Rejection

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Photo1_WendyBraunI have learned over the years that handling rejection in a positive way is one of the most valuable skills you can hone to create a long-lasting career. Whether you’re an actor or work in any part of the entertainment industry, you are going to get rejected….a lot.

So, when you don’t get a callback or don’t get the job you’ve auditioned or interviewed for, do you beat yourself up or do move on easily? It might be comforting to remind yourself that every successful person has been rejected along the way. No exceptions.

Here’s some inspiring proof…

“You ain’t goin’ nowhere, son. You oughta go back to drivin’ a truck.”

~ Jim Denny of the Grand Ole Opry, Nashville, Tennessee,
 firing Elvis Presley in 1954 after just one performance.

“You had better learn secretarial work or else get married.”

~ The Blue Book Modelling Agency in 1944 rejected a very disappointed Miss Marilyn Monroe.

“Mr. Reynolds, you have no talent. Mr. Eastwood, you have a chip on your tooth, your Adam’s apple sticks out too far, and you talk too slow.”

~ A Universal Pictures boss said,dismissing Burt Reynolds and Clint Eastwood at the same interview in 1959.

And one of my personal favorites is this:

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Ok, so we ALL get rejected at one point or another in this business.

The question is, what how are YOU going to react to it? Rejection can easily make us feel like our bright future is somehow being detained. Yet, not getting what we want, when we want it is can sometimes be a great stroke of luck.

What if you grew more trusting in your path, and believed that everything is working out for you exactly as it should? If you adopt this mindset, then when things don’t seem to go the way you planned, you can find the gift in it and move forward easily.

For example, years ago my big life plan was to first win an Emmy, then getting married + have a family, but the bigger plan for my life was clearly to enjoy my family first. What a gift! What perfect timing!

And now, I’m an even better actress from the life experience of being a mother to my two sweet, young boys! My first pregnancy helped me to slow down and truly trust in life’s divine timing. It was during that time I founded ActorInspiration.comand created my first guided meditation album, Creating Powerful Auditions, which has now helped actors all over the world. It’s been a meaningful journey, none of which I could have planned or would change.

So, try treating your next rejection as a gift.  Let it help you build a deeper sense of trust in yourself and in the timing of it all.  You never know what amazing + surprising experience is just around the corner for you.

5 Ways to Handle To Rejection: 

1) Take Inventory.

Rejection can provide useful information and create a time for self-examination. Is there anything you can learn from the experience? If you can get feedback, it can sometimes be constructive. If there’s something useful, use it, and let the rest go.

2) Take Nothing Personally.

Timing is everything. So they went another way on the role or the agent didn’t sign you, so what?!  Why beat yourself up for NOT getting the role or the agent, when you have no idea what lies ahead! You could end up getting called in for a bigger and better role that you are even more perfect for or finding a better agent that will ultimately be a better match. So instead of wasting all that time + energy feeling bad, skip it + keep going!

3) Everyone Gets Rejected.

Even the person who booked the job when you didn’t gets rejected too! There isn’t an actor on the planet who gets every single job he/she auditions for. Know that rejection is part of the game, and everyone has to deal with it. The choice becomes in how you allow it to affect you. Don’t use rejection as an excuse to spiral downward. Use it as a learning opportunity that propels you forward!

4) Focus on The Positive.

You may not have control over who hires you for what, but you do have control of your reaction to it all. It’s easy to feel frustrated when you’ve worked hard on an audition, and you don’t even get a callback. Instead, focus on how good it feels to be in the game. Babe Ruth could not have been the home run king, without being the strike out king. It’s about getting up to bat. Appreciate playing in the game, and know, in time, it will eventually lead to a home run!

5) Believe In Your Journey.

The best way to deal with rejection is to know that each job you don’t get, is helping you be even clearer on what you do want. Maybe some of the jobs you didn’t get you might not have really wanted anyway? Believe in the bigger picture of where you are headed. See it, visualize it and embrace the journey, and pretty soon it won’t matter which jobs you don’t get, because you will so deeply trust and believe that everything is working out exactly as it should.  A strong belief in your self will always attract positive experiences, maybe when you least expect it.
Here’s to the perfect timing of your success + enjoying the journey along the way.

~Wendy Braun

Mindset Meditation Mantras (to help you align your mind)

I trust in the timing of my life.

I trust in the timing of my journey as an actor.

I easily embrace every experience I have had along the way.

I know that everything is unfolding for me exactly as it should.

I embrace all the opportunities that come my way and trust that the roles I don’t get are leading me to something even better.

I know that everyone successful actor got rejected along the way.

I embrace rejection as part of the journey, and use it deepen my belief in myself.

I let go easily and move on with my life and my career.

I take a deep breath in and know that I can get to where I want to go from where I am right now.

I exhale and let go of beating myself up for not being further along.

I am on my way.  I take nothing personally.

I am having fun on this acting journey. 

To stay inspired + get my FREE guided meditation MP3, “Success In The Audition Room” to help you shine in every audition, click here:  http://actorinspiration.com/auditionsuccess/