People abandon you when they have alternatives. The courage to reject could be more glaring when there are two options or more. Or when something is taking one’s attention. The feeling of being rejected could be very painful and frustrating. Funny enough those who frontline your rejection could be the same people who enjoyed you most in your days of glory. Rejection is more painful when it is coming from close ties or when it looks like the people rejecting you are your last resorts.

The Bible has this to say – John 15:18 notes: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.” Always know that you are not the first to be rejected and certainly will not be the last because rejection is universal and not peculiar to you.
I read the story of Ferruccio Lamborghini who said: “I never planned on getting into the automobile industry, but I knew a better car could be built.”

In 1958, Ferruccio Lamborghini, a considerably successful tractor businessman bought a Ferrari. He was happily indulging his passion for cars and being a good mechanic, shortly after he tried racing with his Ferrari, he started to notice the flaws that he could improve on. In 1960, he decided to tell Enze Ferrari about the imperfections he had found in the car.

At this time, Enze Ferrari’s cars were top-of-the-line in luxury sports cars; so, he did not appreciate the tractor mechanic’s suggestions and rejected Lamborghini. Lamborghini turned Ferrari’s rejections as his driving force to start work on his own type of sports car. He began designing different models of his own brand. It only took him four months to launch his first model. Many people believed that it was impossible and too risky to build a car as great as Ferrari’s, but he proved them wrong.

Why Rejection?
Every man prefers pleasure to suffering. Ease to difficulties. No man will accept to endure temporary pains when they know they have
alternatives and can boycott the pains. People who enjoyed the pleasure and beauty of a place at its glory may be the first to slam the shame when “things fall apart and the centre can no longer hold.” People are created with expectations. Whenever they desire and do not get them, they react with refusal. To them not everything must be risked.

• People reject you when they feel you can be replaced.
• People reject you when you cannot satisfy their expectation.
• People reject you when they feel there are better options.

Before You Reject A Thing Or Someone
• Remember the sacrifice made in the past.
• Remember the years shared.
• Remember the services rendered.
• Remember the union enjoyed.
• Remember the joy once given.
• Remember the beauty once cherished.
It is important and just to maintain the old before investing in the new; neglecting the old and building the new while turning your back on the old is bad stewardship.
Ask Your Self
• Have I given my time enough to what I intend to reject?
• Have I invested?
• Have I made a good contribution?
• Have I done all that am required?
• Is this person or institution beyond redemption?
• Have I done all I can?
Signals That Rejection Sends
• Lack of appreciation.
• Lack of gratitude.
• Lack of tolerance.
• Lack of understanding.
• Lack of sacrifice.
• Lack of patience.
• Lack of acceptance.

How To Deal With Rejection
In life some series of rejection could come as a curse. True example of this, is Jack Ma, who once mentioned that he was the man very familiar with rejections. If you ever wanted to give up, remember this guy. He applied 10 times for Harvard and was rejected 10 times. He applied for 30 jobs in his hometown and got none. One time, he applied for a job at KFC alone 23 others; while others were accepted, he was the only person that was rejected. At the same time, he tried to get to the police force, four out of five applicants were accepted, but Ma was rejected. Ma and his cousin once queued more than two hours for an interview to be waiters in a four-star hotel.

Despite the lower score of his cousin, he got the job, but Ma was rejected again. In 2001, he went to raise $5 million from venture capitalists in the U.S. and was rejected. It is definitely not easy to deal with all those setbacks.

Many of us might just choose an easy way out instead of persistently pursuing their true callings. But no series of failures, or rejections kept Ma from achieving his dreams. Now Jack Ma is the richest man in China.
He founded Alibaba in 1995, which is now one of the largest e-commerce platforms.