So, it's the end of summer. What does that mean? The county fair of course! And what's synonymous with the fair? Well, right, lots of things, but around here the best part of the fair (besides your yearly dose of elephant ears) is the demolition derby!
That's right: TOTAL DESTRUCTION!
So, I'm sitting in the bleachers watching these cars ram into one another for fun, and our whole section decides to cheer for this one particular driver. Why? Well, his car was the smallest out there. And he was giving the biggest hits. He was having a blast. He was losing his bumper, taking hits, and his car was bashed, beyond recognition, into a vehicle half its original size.
The one thing I kept thinking as I watched him go up against the big guys was that he wasn't giving up. He wasn't giving in. He wasn't letting intimidation rule or deter. And he was having a blast.
So, what have I learned from this great night of pure fun and entertainment in the form of bumper cars for adults?
Even if the odds are stacked against you, and you face fear, rejection, critique, or whatever life throws at you...
Never. Give. Up.
Showing posts with label rejection. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rejection. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Friday, August 5, 2011
Perspectives
So something occurred to me the other day while I was feeding my dogs (I'll get to that part in a moment). You know that old adage "beauty is in the eye of the beholder"? It's true, but not just physical beauty, right?
Let's face it, as writers we get a lot of rejection. Rejection letters from agents, publishers, and editors. We face rejection from opinions of friends, family, critique groups, judges, etc, etc. But even from ourselves!
We love our work...we hate our work! Rinse. Repeat.
The thing is, because rejection is such a part of this business, I think it's important to turn some of that awful feeling (yes, it happens to all of us) into something useful. I don't buy the whole "you need to have thick skin" argument. And I'll wager most of you don't either. It's not about having thick skin. It's about taking the good with the bad, and letting the good get the better of you. After you've had your private moment to wrestle with the bad of course.
It's about picking yourself up, dusting yourself off, and learning from your mistakes. It's about letting go of what you can't control, persevering toward your goals, and making that darn lemonade!
See, when I went to feed the dogs the other day, the bag slipped, fell, and sprayed dog food all over the kitchen floor. At first I was frustrated with myself for not holding the dog food bag right, mad that I'd made a mess to clean up, but then I saw things from their point of view...hmmm a bunch of kibble all over the kitchen floor. It was a free for all. And you know what, I didn't have to clean it up, AND I didn't have to feed the dogs supper.
It's about seeing the beauty and embracing it.
Let's face it, as writers we get a lot of rejection. Rejection letters from agents, publishers, and editors. We face rejection from opinions of friends, family, critique groups, judges, etc, etc. But even from ourselves!
We love our work...we hate our work! Rinse. Repeat.
The thing is, because rejection is such a part of this business, I think it's important to turn some of that awful feeling (yes, it happens to all of us) into something useful. I don't buy the whole "you need to have thick skin" argument. And I'll wager most of you don't either. It's not about having thick skin. It's about taking the good with the bad, and letting the good get the better of you. After you've had your private moment to wrestle with the bad of course.
It's about picking yourself up, dusting yourself off, and learning from your mistakes. It's about letting go of what you can't control, persevering toward your goals, and making that darn lemonade!
See, when I went to feed the dogs the other day, the bag slipped, fell, and sprayed dog food all over the kitchen floor. At first I was frustrated with myself for not holding the dog food bag right, mad that I'd made a mess to clean up, but then I saw things from their point of view...hmmm a bunch of kibble all over the kitchen floor. It was a free for all. And you know what, I didn't have to clean it up, AND I didn't have to feed the dogs supper.
It's about seeing the beauty and embracing it.
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