"WE REGRET EMAILS": TAKING PRIDE IN YOUR BADGES OF HONOUR

A few years back, whenever I receive a rejection email or a "we regret" email, it usually shatters me, and I get discouraged from trying again. Fast forward to 2016; I listened to the TED talk by Jia Jang, 100 days of rejection; this talk changed everything for me. Just yesterday, I received three "we regret" emails from some fellowship opportunities I had applied to in the past months, and it was like nothing happened.I want to believe that the number of rejection emails you have received is a testament to your hard work and intelligent work in trying. While it is painful to receive some of these "we regret" emails" because of the requirements during the application process, I have taken these emails as my badges of honour for being brave enough to dare apply and put myself out there. It is rather funny how one "congratulatory email" makes us forget the hundreds of rejection emails in our inbox.This morning, I opened one of my professional email inboxes and decided to search for the phrase "we regret", the results were so many that I could not finish scrolling, so I did a screenshot of a few of them to analyze for you. There are different types of "we regret" emails, and I will explain to you with these screenshots my inbox.1. The "we know how you feel" we regret the email.This one tells you that you are rejected but with some words of empathy and care to show that your effort is not a waste of time. The summary of this type of "we regret email" is, "You are good, mate, but we don't see a match here".2. The "you are the best but still rejected" we regret the email.This type will tell you that your application is one of the best, but they still regret to reject you. I guess being best sometimes is not enough. It can be painful, though, but there is no problem; we move.3. The "motivational" we regret emailThis one will explain to you how you are worth it. How you are good. How your application makes sense, and how your ideas are great, but you are what?. You are still rejected.4.The "explore other services" we regret emailThis one will tell you that you are rejected but will advertize other services they feel are worth to you.5.The " we don't have time for story" we regret emailThis one is usually one sentence rejection email. If you like, go and hug transformer. Laughs.Friends, these are badges of honour. Embrace them all and convert their pains to win. We always win even when they are always regretting to inform us.Oluwaseun David ADEPOJU