By: Rhett Seitz
Rejection is one of the first real tests young adults face, especially when stepping into the world of internships, competitive programs, and dream schools. You work hard, you hit submit and then you wait. Sometimes, you get the response you hoped for. A lot of times you don’t. And when those no’s stack up, even the most motivated student can feel the weight of discouragement begin to settle in. This was a shocking lesson I had to learn coming to college where in high school I basically got accepted to everything I applied for.
Earlier this semester, I picked up Aim High by Terry Johnson, a former member of the U.S. Air Force. Johnson’s story stuck with me because it’s simple but powerful. He joined the Air Force without a clear direction, struggled in his early training, and felt out of place. Then, almost by accident, he applied for a position with the President’s Honor Guard. He didn’t think he had a shot. But he made the team, served for years, traveled the world, and ended up in a role he never would’ve imagined. His message was straightforward: aim high because you truly don’t know where God might take you.
That idea hit home because college students are some of the most ambitious people you’ll ever meet. Many of us grew that ambition in high school, where we learned to take on big goals and dream about what our future could look like. The problem is that ambition runs directly into reality. You send in five internship applications and hear back from none. You interview for programs you’ve prepared months for and still get turned away. After a while, even the strongest confidence starts to crack.
I learned that firsthand. In high school, I developed a love for civics after taking a freshman civics class. My teacher encouraged me to apply for the Governor’s Honors Program in social studies. I didn’t think much of it at first, but I made it past the district level. Then I advanced to the state level, a place that only about one percent of applicants reach. My teachers were thrilled, and so was I.
I drove to Berry College in Rome, GA for the interviews, sat in front of a panel, participated in a mock United Nations simulation and waited for the results. A few weeks later, I learned that I didn’t make it. I told myself it was fine because most finalists were juniors, not sophomores.
The next year I applied again, believing this would be my time. I went through the same steps, answered the same types of questions and left feeling confident. Then the email came: denied again.
I felt embarrassed, disappointed and honestly a little confused. I thought I had done everything right. That experience could have made me stop trying for opportunities altogether. But life is full of people who kept going after they failed. Abraham Lincoln lost multiple elections before becoming president. Michael Jordan didn’t make his high school varsity team at first. None of that stopped them. They learned from it, pushed through it and grew because of it.
Rejection doesn’t end your story. Sometimes it redirects it.
Here are a few reminders worth keeping close:
#1: Keep going. Most people who succeed aren’t the ones who never failed. They’re the ones who didn’t stop.
#2: Keep applying. The right opportunity often shows up after ten that weren’t right for you.
#3: Your worth isn’t measured by yeses or nos. It’s measured by perseverance, character and the courage to keep showing up. God made you for so much more than just a bunch of Yes’s and No’s.
You don’t know what God is preparing you for. You don’t know which application will change your life. But you do know this: quitting guarantees you won’t get there. Keep aiming high, my friend. I can’t wait to see you when you finally reach what you have been waiting for.
