Inertia and Rejection - The Confidence Factor

Use Your Positivity Mindset

When faced with inertia, the prospects of success seem very dim. It’s a state where the energy level is low, and indecision, procrastination, confusion, and a lack of the desire to act, root someone to a spot, or steep a person in the comfort zone.

When indecision and Atychiphobia, an intense fear of failure, which is a main cause of inertia, come together, they drain energy, thereby weakening the will. The mind becomes divided, thus leading to inaction and the loss of opportunities. When rejection is added to these, the urge to quit is amplified.

A person in a state of inertia is like the fabled “Buridan’s Donkey”. It was the case of a donkey which found itself, halfway between two equally fresh and delicious piles of hay. Because of indecision on which to eat from, it kept moving from one pile to the other until it starved to death between the two.

A person in a state of inertia is there because of having been paralyzed into inactivity by indecision and fear. Like “Buridan’s Donkey”, it is in the midst of opportunities, but will lose them because of the lack of desire to act. Both have to be overcome, or outwitted in order to escape.

Imagine a situation, where someone finally overcomes inertia, begins to pursue a goal, and rejection is encountered. What a shocking blow that could be! Rejection is always there, waiting for everyone. That’s why, from the outset, we should not only know how to break out of inertia but also how to cope with rejection. Both of them require confidence, and that’s gained by action.

To break out of inertia, a goal is required to focus the mind, plan to set the route on which to travel, and action to get the plan rolling. Start with a mini project and break it into easily, realisable bits. As accomplishments are gained, confidence grows, then it compounds. Then, a little more challenging projects could be attempted. Gradually, momentum is gained and the inertia is escaped.

Dealing with rejection requires the realisation of two things — that it’s a source of lessons, which if learnt, and used to refine action, facilitates growth and success. Additionally, if you try and face rejection, it’s your attempt that’s rejected, and not you. In which case, the rejection should not be taken, personally.

It’s the reason why we should learn to control our ego. The ego feels brutally hurt when rejection arises. It is proud, immature, and hardly reasons. Its reaction, which is usually swift, when rejection arises, is to tell us to quit. But, who has ever succeeded by quitting?

Welcome rejection because it’s a sign that you are trying, and have the desire to move forward. Just as you can’t fail an examination, which you didn’t sit, you can’t face rejection, if you didn’t try or ask. Asking is a form of action.

Always remember that in a bid to come out of inertia, or your comfort zone, where there’s no excitement or growth, rejection could be a next challenge.

As eggs are to the making of omelette, so is rejection to the process of success, if the lessons are realised and positively utilised. Therefore, you should be ready to use the lessons drawn from it to keep working and improving. That’s how growth and success are achieved in life.

As an illustration of the circumstances mentioned, I have just faced rejection by a Publication group on “Medium”. Wait a moment, I nearly forgot. It wasn’t me that was rejected; it was the story I submitted — my attempt. If I didn’t know the nature of rejection, I would have taken it personally, and blamed everyone.

I am now trying to find the reason for the rejection, and will use it for the refinement of my previous attempt, and try again. There’s also the option of trying other Publications. If the traffic on the route to your destination is blocked, the wise option isn’t to go back home. Finding another way could be appropriate.

Rejection reminds me of some authors, whose works were repeatedly rejected before they became best sellers. Such was the case of some musicians who later came up tops, as well as people who sought a romantic relationship and succeeded in finding the right spouse after being repeatedly, turned down.

It could well be that I did not meet the expectations of the editor, or took the story to the wrong Publication.

How do I know? It’s because I am aware of such causes of rejection as reflected in the story I posted on this platform, not long ago, titled: “You Can’t Serve Everyone”.

There, I made the point that what you have to offer will only click with those it resonates with. It doesn’t in any way mean that the person who rejected it is bad. This realization reduces or takes away the sting of rejection.

Having a growth and possibility mindset, as well as the urge to persevere are instrumental in dealing with inertia and overcoming rejection. We should either let rejection discourage and perpetuate us in inertia, and keep us in the comfort zone, or use it as a facilitator of growth and progress.

The choice is ours.