Rejections are the best way to succeed

The fear of being slighted makes even the most confident among us quite shaky, whether it's at work, in the social circle or in a relationship. Jason Comely, who conceived the Rejection Therapy — and now teaches people social skills that helps them turn rejection into an achievement — tells Nona Walia how people can escape the hurt locker.

Were you ever rejected by anyone in your life? It leaves you shattered, demoralized, angry, hurt, dejected — all at once. For some, it may be the gear of social acceptance because they are different; for others it may be the approval of someone they respect, failing which their world turns upside down; for some it may be heartbreak, when the person you love is simply not interested in you. For Jason Comely, a web developer, it was social acceptance. He was never sure how to start a conversation, and obsessed over whether people would like him or not. When he realised this problem was more common than just his experience, he created a social self-help game. A game, where being rejected was the sole winning condition! It's called Rejection Therapy (RT). Today, Comely's therapy has been deemed a 'self-help' hit in the US. Excerpts from an interview:
How can we use rejection as a tool of success?
Testing and failing is how we learn about ourselves and our true capabilities. Rejection is an indicator of courage, effort and the exploration of personal boundaries. People should not view rejection negatively.