The Rejection that Changed my Life by Jessica Bacal

 

Subtitle:  25+ Powerful Women on Being Let Down, Turning It Around, and Burning It Up at Work

The Rejection That Changed my Life is a very inspirational book that I greatly enjoyed.  Rejections are a part of even the most successful person’s life, but they are usually not talked about.  Everyone has either not gotten the job they wanted, not been promoted, or have been laid off at work.  It can be very painful.  It can make you question yourself and feel lesser than you really are.  People like to talk about their accomplishments, but most don’t talk about the rejections they faced along the way.  I am personally guilty of this.  This book interviews twenty-five different women from different paths in life talk about the rejections they faced and how they dealt with them.  The book had a lot of great tips and positive messages on how to move forward.  It was a great look at how rejection can really hurt you, but it’s how you take that rejection and push forward that counts.  I thought this book was great and very positive.  It’s an important life lesson for everyone.

I think my Favorite Quotes for this book give you a good idea of what the book is like:

“Women are not supposed to be self-promoting or too assertive or angry.”

“If you get defensive when people tell you things you could do better, you’re human.  It’s important to give ourselves a break.”

“I don’t think a month goes by without some sort of rejection.  Do you view it as a rejection or as a learning experience?”

“Authenticity is all about staying true to your values, not to one particular communication style.”

“Science communication is not about hierarchy; people are collaborative and direct.”

“People resist when you’re trying to do something that makes them uncomfortable.  Then slowly, with good data, people start to adapt.  It’s important to be aware that as a change agent, you are the catalyst for a process that can take time.  It’s vital to keep from becoming so frustrated that you lose the opportunity to make a difference.  It’s vital to have patience and the facts.”

“Tip:  It helps to listen and find ways to reposition your argument, showing that it also meets the other person’s objectives.  That way, they don’t have to be on the defensive.”

“Some of the women in the upcoming section talk about realizing that they weren’t well matched to their jobs – and rejection was just what they needed in order to pivot.”

“In general, I think it’s so easy to dwell on our mistakes and harder to savor our wins.  That’s something I’m trying to get better at.”

Overall, The Rejection that Changed my Life is a very inspirational book with life lessons for us all on how to take rejection and use it to move forward in life.

Source:  Review Copy from Netgalley and Penguin Books