Rejection hurts. It makes you want to turn on your heels and run far away from the voice over industry. It’s all part of success though. No one ever succeeds without being rejected. Some of the best voice overs in the industry have been rejected more times than they could count. What makes them different from many others who have dealt with the same? They didn’t give up.
Rejection is not a reason to give up. It’s a reason to keep going. If you just think, “Every rejection is one step closer to an acceptance.” you will make it far in your voice over business.
Even when you know that rejection is part of your biz, it’s not going to sting any less when it happens. To be able to bounce back from that rejection, you will have to work on your self-talk and reactions. The following are some of the things you can do the next time you are rejected.
Stop Blaming Yourself
It’s not always because you’re not a good voice over. Sometimes, people decide not to hire someone. Other times, there’s just someone who is better for the project. Sure, you can be hard on yourself and tell yourself other people are better than you, but that’s just going to hurt you and your business.
The more you allow rejection to hurt you, the slower you’ll be able to bounce back. When you take too long to apply, market, and seek out other opportunities, the higher the chances you’re missing out on something that is perfect for you.
To speed up rejection recovery, tell yourself that it’s not yourself. If you feel you could have done better, think about what it is and remember that for the next time. There will always be a next time as long as you don’t give up.
Redirect Your Emotions
If you get mad when you face rejection, use that anger to do more for your business. Be determined to get another opportunity and when you find it, do everything possible to give it your best shot. Use those strong emotions to make you strong. That strength will help you land more gigs, if you channel it in the right direction.
Accept Criticism
The voice over industry is a critical business. People will tell you what they didn’t like. Sometimes, those people are right in what they say about your skills, and other times, you know they don’t know what they are talking about. Take the good criticism and use it to improve your voice over skills. Leave the criticism you know isn’t right because it’s not going to help you.
Always think about what is going to help you. This is your business and you know it better than anyone else. Believe that and you’ll improve your voice over and business skills with every rejection.
Just Cry It Out
There’s no harm in crying. Crying is cathartic. You need to release those emotions to be able to move on sometimes. Go into the bathroom, your bedroom, or your car and give yourself time to let it all out. Cry, scream, and kick. As long as you don’t hurt yourself or others, it will make you feel so much better. You can then pull yourself together and get on with your day.
You Can Use Rejection in the Voice Over Business to Succeed
Everyone handles rejection differently. Find what works for you and use it to positively affect your business. You can’t get away from rejection in the voice over business, but you can use it to help you succeed.