Learning from Rejection

Today I got word that a grant I wrote didn't get funded. First off, I have to say that that is the outcome I was expecting, so that does help with the disappointment. Actually, I'm not that disappointed. Just frustrated. In the last year, I've written proposals for a total of $1 million in funding. It takes a significant amount of effort to write a decent grant proposal; it's no small task. Only $5,000 of that money has actually been funded. Feel like someone just knocked the wind out of you? Yeah, me too. I'm not going to lie, it was hard to hear all the million dollar funded projects at the beginning of the year faculty meeting. I was impressed by my colleagues, and totally jealous of my lack of funding! :) Well, welcome to higher ed.

It's really hard to get institutions to fund you, especially when it's only your second year as a faculty member. Oh, and when you're a "nobody" in the field. That doesn't help either! But, it's equally hard to make real changes for kids when school systems and universities don't have extra money to throw around. So, we need the grant funding to support our work. Instead of dwelling on the frustration, I just have to think about the lessons learned.

I have come to a conclusion. It's profound for me--maybe you have already figured it out. Accepting and fighting past rejection is going to be a huge bridge to success. I could easily give up. Spending the countless time and effort to write multiple 50 page (single spaced...yes, you read that correctly) grant proposals is certainly not my most favorite thing to do. But then, I think about all the teachers and students that will get support if I can convince someone to give me the money. So, I'm going to suck it up. Respond to the criticisms by revising my work. I'm not going to take it personally. And I'm giving it another try. And another, and another. There were lots of positive comments on the grant. In fact, the second reviewer noted "no notable weaknesses". I'd say that's not to bad for a couple of newbies winging it.

So, here's to rejection. To accepting it. To appreciating it. To learning from it.

“Every rejection is incremental payment on your dues that in some way will be translated back into your work.” -- James Lee Burke