7 Valuable Tips for Conquering the Fear of Rejection as a Freelancer

Everyone has experienced feelings of rejection at some point in their lives.  We freelancers experience it more than most, as we’re always putting ourselves out there for jobs.  The feelings associated with rejection aren’t pleasant.  In fact, rejection has been shown to activate the same areas of the brain as physical pain.

Fear of rejection can hold us back in our careers and keep us from reaching our full potential.  If we don’t confront our fears, we’ll never have the level of success we want and deserve.

Here are seven valuable tips for freelancers for conquering the fear of rejection:

1. Remind yourself that everyone in our industry has faced rejection at some point.

Success is a multi-step process, usually with at least a few failures along the way.  If you don’t put yourself out there and risk facing rejection, you won’t succeed.  Yes, you may be passed over for jobs that you thought were a perfect fit, but you’ll also make contacts along the way that may prove very useful down the road.

That’s the way the business works.  There are endless possibilities for success, but you have to take the first step of being willing to face rejection.

Anyone who has a successful career in the industry has faced rejection.  You’re in excellent company.

2. Keep your self-talk positive.

Negative self-talk is damaging to our sense of self-worth and confidence. It can become a self-fulfilling prophecy and stifle our personal and professional growth.

You can’t succeed if you’re constantly telling yourself that you’re a failure who will never have career success.

Look at it this way.  If a friend came to you after being rejected for a job, would you tell her that she’s worthless and will never succeed?  Of course not.  You’d comfort her by reaffirming her skills and reminding her there’s another job around the corner that she’s sure to get.

Treat yourself with the same kindness and respect with which you treat others.  Keep your self-talk positive at all times.

3. Accept that sometimes you and the job you want are not a good fit.

Have you ever heard the words “we’ve decided to go in a different direction” when you’ve interviewed or auditioned for a job?  I have.  It hurts if you really want the job, but the sooner you move on, the better.

You may think you’re the perfect fit for a job, but the person doing the hiring has other ideas.  It’s not a reflection of your worth.  It’s just a hiring decision.

We’ve all experienced putting ourselves out there and not getting the results we wanted.  Congratulate yourself on being courageous enough to put yourself in the mix and brave enough to bounce back quickly from this temporary defeat.

4. Focus on the contribution you can make, not on being judged.

This is especially true for acting auditions.  You can’t give an outstanding performance if you’re focused on the fact that people are judging you and may reject you.  Instead, focus on your talent, training, and what you can bring to the part.

Yes, there are loads of other people up for the same job, but that’s not your problem.  Let the casting director deal with that while you focus on bringing your unique talent to the job at hand.

You don’t control the results, only the process.  So enjoy the ride.

5. Ask yourself what it is about rejection that scares you.

Rejection can bring up fears of hurt, inadequacy, frustration, and a deep sense of shame.  These aren’t enjoyable feelings to experience.

We need a strong sense of self-worth in an industry where we often face constant rejection.  Overcoming the fear of rejection requires some introspection on our part.

Look within and see what your emotional triggers are about rejection.

6. Face your fear.

Which do you want more, comfort or success?  We can remain safe in our comfort zone to avoid rejection, but we’ll never have any significant achievements if we play it safe and avoid risks.

Tell yourself that it’s okay to feel uncomfortable facing rejection.  Just don’t let it stop you from reaching your goals.

Fears faced are fears conquered.

7. Realize that every rejection puts you one step closer to your goal.

Accept the fact that you’ll face rejection many times on the way to achieving your career goals.  It doesn’t mean you’re untalented or unworthy.

Make it a priority to accept taking risks in your career and facing rejection head-on.

Consider seeing a professional if your fear of rejection is inducing anxiety or panic attacks.  Otherwise, keep forging ahead toward your career goals and accept rejection along the way as part of the journey.