Rejection: A positive message

Is there any positive message in rejection? I never thought so till I heard the CEO of an IT firm talked about the dismissal of a group of his young employees.

Rejection is a terribly painful experience in our life. There is no one who has never gone through rejection. Everybody has a story of rejection by their friends, colleagues, contemporaries, authorities, siblings, spouse, parents ….

It is rejection and rejection everywhere.

It causes the acutest frustration in life. It takes away all motivation to live. It makes our life meaningless.

Rejection makes us feel that:

We have no merit.

The most unwanted thing in this world.

The unwelcomed intruder.

The greatest fool.

A meaningless lump of flesh.

A self assuming idiot.

We have no knowledge or expertise.

Lacks a personality sufficient to be accommodated.

No command of language.

A shallow thinker.

A paranoiac.

A block head that cannot be improved.

We are nothing, nothing and nothing.

Why should we prolong our existence creating only discomfort to all others in this world?

What are we going to benefit by prolonging this dirty life.

Will any good come to us and any good go out?

Nothing, nothing and nothing.

Rejection is indescribable pain.

Rejection is the darkest frustration.

It is the bottomless pit of pessimism.

It is thick night that has no streak of light.

No hope, no consolation and no light.

Dark, dark and only darkness.

But, cheer with me, rejection has a positive message in it.

Rejection is not all dark.

Rejection is not all negative.

There is something positive in it.

As the wave of the economic depression hit the world (2000s), a group of young IT employees in an IT firm in India were dismissed from their job. Theirs was a sad story. Two or three of them were planning to get married in the next week or the next. They were good students and had a respectable certificate of engineering. They scored high marks in the passing out examination. Their sincerity and hard work were never questioned. They remembered no violation of laws. Still they were dismissed from their job.

Media like TV and Newspapers took up the case. They declared them as the first victim of economic depression in India. Media questioned the criterion used to select these young people. It pointed out the job insecurity in the IT field. The media telecasted and published interviews and sad stories of the young men. They demanded the Government to intervene.

While all these talks went on, one leading TV channel dared to telecast an interview with the CEO of the IT firm. One topic discussed was the criterion used for choosing these employees for the dismissal.

The CEO asserted that the dismissal of this small group of employees has nothing to do with economic depression.

The criterion used was the employability of these young people in his firm.

It was argued by the interviewer that these youngsters were successful engineering graduates from reputed colleges, they were hardworking and sincere. How can we say they were unemployable?

His reply to this argument has a positive message for all those who go under the frustration of rejection.

The CEO of the IT firm did not blame the young men and women for insincerity.

He agree that they were successful engineering graduated.

They were hard working.

But, he sent them out of his firm, because: (let me summarize his words)

Their knowledge and expertise could not be used by his firm.

His firm is dealing with certain services and products.

He needs employers who can contribute to it.

These young people have knowledge and expertise in IT related services and products, but his firm is not dealing with them.

Dismissal from his firm does not mean that they were not employable in any IT firm; it only means that they were not profitable to his firm.

If they continue in his firm, they will rust and the firm will not profit from it.

All their expertise will be wasted.

If they go out, they can find another firm which deals with services and products to which these youngsters could contribute positively.

Their knowledge and expertise will be used, polished and made sharper.

They can build a better carrier.

Thus they could serve the firm, the country and themselves.

These words from the CEO sent a shrill in my veins.

Then, rejection is positive. Yes. Let us all say, Yes.

When we are rejected by a particular person, social group or firm, look at it positive.

They need not us. Not because we are worthless, but only because they are not dealing with the services and products we offer. Why go along with them?

They pointed to a way out of their life or business; pointed towards a new way to a new social group, firm or person.

They are eagerly waiting for you.

Move away and move forward. It is a way out to success.

It is a way out to self realization and self respect.

Why rust without being used profitably?

Be profited by some. Be useful to some other.

Rejection only means that they:

Cannot use your talent for their benefit.

Cannot accommodate your expertise.

Cannot or do not wish to rise up to you.

It never means that you are worthless.

It only means that you were trying to sell shoes in a country where people have no legs.

Your shoes are not worthless; but hey have no legs for your shoes.

It is time for you to move to a fresh pasture.

Rejection is a positive message.

Have a great new year (1 January 2013).

Prof. Jacob Abraham

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