I know not everyone will agree with this, but I’ve come to believe something that’s reshaped my perspective over the years:

Rejection is not always a setback — sometimes, it’s a safeguard. Sometimes, it’s divine redirection.

Most people experience frustration not because they were rejected, but because of the expectations they had before that rejection. They imagined what would happen if they got the “yes” — the breakthrough, the platform, the funding, the partnership. And when it doesn’t happen, it feels personal.

But here’s the truth: Rejection only keeps you in the position you were already in. The pain comes from the gap between expectation and reality — not the actual place you’re standing in.

REJECTION AS REFINEMENT

If you want to grow holistically — spiritually, emotionally, and strategically — you have to learn how to process rejection. Not just tolerate it. Understand it. Grow through it.

I’ve heard countless founder stories where it took:

• 100 rejections to get 1 “yes” from an investor
• 50 product attempts before the one that finally caught fire
• Years of obscurity before a single door opened

We often say “it’s a numbers game,” and that’s true to a degree. But what really matters is:
How are you adjusting internally as the nos stack up?
How are you responding when you feel unseen or unheard?

Because here’s the secret — not every no is permanent.
Some are “not yet.”
Some are “not this path.”
Some are divine interventions cloaked in closed doors.

WHY I PRAY ON EVERY OPPORTUNITY

This is exactly why I pray before I pursue.

I don’t want every “yes.”
Some yeses will drain you.
Some yeses will detour you.
Some yeses come with strings you were never meant to carry.

So I’ve learned to trust rejection. Sometimes it’s the mercy of The Most High.
Other times it’s a lesson in alignment — checking whether what I’m asking for is truly connected to the assignment on my life.

Whether it’s a big deal, a new partner, a platform, or a position — I don’t just ask “Can I get this?”
I ask: “Should I have this?”

EMBRACING BOTH OUTCOMES

What matters most is this: Prepare for both — acceptance and rejection.

Because both are useful if you have the right mindset.

Acceptance is momentum.
Rejection is refinement.
Both can lead you closer to purpose.

It’s not about whether doors open or close — it’s about what you learn while you wait in the hallway.

— Early Boykins III