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BOOK REVIEW
‘THE REJECTION THAT CHANGED MY LIFE’
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on the fact that even though her lab studies “grit,” she ike achievements, rejections are part of every successful herself can get thrown by rejections. person's career. Some are easy to brush off, but there • Creating possibilities: Researchers in social psychology are those that sting and stay with you. Women are have found that rejection can actually spur creativity more likely to ruminate and overthink work rejections, to the at work—and Ally Einbinder, bassist of the band point of making them even more painful. Studies show that Potty Mouth, knows that better than most. When her after being rejected multiple times due to bias, women are management didn’t know how less likely to try again for top roles at to market Potty Mouth to record high-powered companies. However, labels, it tried to cut the band loose. in this moment, when glass ceilings Einbinder and her fellow musicians still pervade office cultures around the fought for studio time to finish world, it’s essential for working women their album, paid for their own to see rejection not as an end, but as mixing, and released it on their a chapter in their career’s long and own terms—soon after, LA Weekly varied narrative. named them the “best punk band This is where Jessica Bacal, the in Los Angeles.” beloved editor of “Mistakes I Made • Importance of resilience: at Work,” comes in with her newest Comic Sam Jay gave herself one book “The Rejection That Changed My year to try stand-up comedy. Open Life: 25+ Powerful Women on Being Let mics, actual gigs: She committed, Down, Turning It Around, and Burning It even when she was booed during Up at Work” (Plume). She recruited her first time on stage. Being over 25 powerful and successful rejected is painful, but it makes women from all walks of life to you stronger—something that she talk about how rejection catalyzed continues to learn as a staff writer movement in their careers, offer advice on Saturday Night Live. for anyone learning to navigate the • Embracing change and trying workforce. This collection is pivotal for new things: Knowing what you professionals who aspire to persevere, ISBN: 978-0593187654 don’t want is as important as knowing to achieve, and to find meaning and joy at Trade Paperback $17.00 what you do—and rejection and work. failure can help you realize both. Chef and James Beard In “The Rejection That Changed My Life,” Bacal and her Award semi-finalist Unmi Akmin came to understand, early interviewees examine how being turned down can lead to hope in her career, that she was hungry to learn but didn’t like and positive growth. Highlights and themes include: being told what to do; that’s why she took a risk and opened Universal lessons offered by women from many cultural her own restaurant. backgrounds: • Learning and adapting: Rejection is a learning tool; Bacal also created a series of exercises for readers to use in interviewees describe using their own reactions as data, developing a habit of reflection about their diverse identities and their experiences as preparation. Angela Duckworth, a MacArthur “genius” grant winner and psychologist, reflects and goals, accessing the power of their ever-evolving stories.
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