Rejection is a part of life, and a great deal of it seems to come in your 20s. From dates to jobs, the "no's" outweigh the "yes's" like a sumo wrestler outweighs a backup dancer. Getting turned down isn't the end of the world, though. Sometimes it's the beginning of a whirlwind journey to success. History is littered with greats who were told they weren't good enough. Because they persevered after getting declined like a bad credit card, these individuals are recognized in my list of Rejection All-Stars.
Jim Carrey
The comedian who emerged as a star in the 1990s from lead roles in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and The Mask wasn't heralded early in his career. He auditioned for the 1980-81 season of Saturday Night Live and didn't get the job. You've probably never heard of The Duck Factory, the 1984 sitcom featuring Carrey in his first lead role, because it was canceled after only one season.
Kurt Warner
Many teens get their first taste of employment as grocery baggers. Before leading teams to three Super Bowls and winning NFL MVP, Warner did it as a 20-something pro football flameout after getting cut by the Green Bay Packers. Failing at the highest level is line thing; doing so in small college football can bring a greater level of discouragement. Before his initial NFL hopes were crushed, Warner rode the bench for three years and contemplated quitting the team at Division 1-AA Northern Iowa before becoming the starter his senior year.
Steven Spielberg
The Director of E.T the Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park and Saving Private Ryan applied to the University of Southern California's prestigious School of Theater, Film and Television twice and was denied admission both times. Now, his filmography has its own Wikipedia page.Everyone faces closed doors. Keep knocking and eventually you'll find the that's open.
