Yes, it’s true – on Monday night, LSU came from behind to beat the reigning champion, Clemson, for the NCAA National College Football Championship, 42-25. This was no foregone conclusion – it took a lot of hard work, and numerous obstacles had to be overcome for LSU to get the win. LSU was down 17-7 at the end of the first quarter, having had to punt their first three possessions.

Remember that Joe Burrow, LSU’s record-setting quarterback, won the 2019 Heisman Trophy, the 2019 Associated Press college football player of the year award, the Maxwell and Davey O’Brien awards, and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award. He transferred from Ohio State to LSU in 2017 – after it was determined that, once again, he would not be Ohio State’s starting quarterback for the 3rd straight year. He had to start over at LSU, with new teammates, new coaches, and a new system where he had to prove himself once again.

LSU head coach Ed Orgeron knows rejection, too. Orgeron was fired from his position as head coach at Ole Miss in 2007. After leaving Ole Miss, he went to the University of Southern California. In his last season, USC’s team went 9-4 (6-2 under his interim head coaching). In 2013, he was passed over for the position of permanent head coach, and resigned. He joined LSU in 2015 as defensive line coach, and was promoted to interim head coach in September 2016. Two months later, LSU removed the “interim” from his title.

Sometimes, it is in those difficult moments, in the face of those rejections, that we have the greatest opportunities for growth.

Think back – try to remember three significant instances of rejection in your own lives. Rejections which really hurt. Then, look back and see if there was significant growth in your life after those hurtful rejections.

In order to handle rejection, we have to reflect on the past, analyze and study it. Then, I think we have to ask ourselves. “how can I perform at a higher level next time?”

Please click here to email me directly – I would love to hear the ways in which you have leveraged rejection into growth.

Until next Wednesday – have a great week!

Peace,