How do we deal with that? How can we embrace the moments of victory and not allow ourselves the emotional free-fall that occurs when we’re derailed? I’m no therapist, but I’ve been doing this long enough to have experienced on innumerable occasions these extremes. As discussed in the “Dealing With Rejection For Artists and Cartoonists” post, it’s all about your perspective.

Things really got rolling for me in 2009, and it seemed that the world was my oyster. The very first deals that came to me had the potential to be massive, and by massive, I mean MASSIVE! Big cabin cruiser, BMW 7 series, hob-knobbing with the big-shots, Christmas every day massive. Terms were agreed to, contracts were signed, overseas production lines were ramped up – we were ready to go. And then the market, specifically for these lines of products, imploded. Completely, unalterably imploded. It’s quite possible the timing was the worst ever in the recorded history of mankind. In future millennia, archaeologists will dig up the fossilized remnants of this deal and say to one another, “Hey Bob – we just found the quintessential example of the worst timing in the known universe. It was so bad, it may have laid the groundwork for the fall of civilization. Let’s leave it here in case there are reverberations of suckiness that transcend space and time.” I made enough money to buy a six-pack of crappy beer. Talk about deflating!

At that moment, I had a choice to make. I could either let that crushing experience redefine my goals, redefine the value I place in my work, and consider stepping away into a kinder, gentler arena such as wrestling man-eating angry alligators. Or, I could step back from the event, slow down and consider the opportunity I’d been given, regardless of the ultimate outcome. I had a major company take interest in my work and invest a great deal of money incorporating it into their products. How is that not a victory? I became grateful, and it made all the difference in the world. Has this happened to you? Validation can take many forms – it’s not relegated to financial terms. We can’t control market conditions. The economy tanked in a “Captain, that looks an awful lot like an iceberg right in front of us.” kind of way, and we were all just passengers in for the ride. Sometimes, factors that are entirely beyond our control determine portions of outcomes. That’s life. The raging success stories most often aren’t those who had nothing but good fortune on the bullet train to riches and adoration. Chances are, they were the ones who took their lumps but remembered why they were there in the first place. Ultimate outcome, in my experience, is determined by you and how you percieve events that impact you.

It’s my belief that as artists, we tend to be more perceptive of the details – more aware of the nuances that surround us. And perhaps that can sometimes be to our detriment – a forest for the trees scenario. If, in times when the roller coaster is cresting and the fall looks particularly precipitous, think for a moment how much energy and effort it took to get you there. How many others in or out of your field, likely of millions, have reached that point and can see what you see? Slow down, be aware of the distance we’ve just climbed and admire the view -  there’s value in that. If we realize that ups and downs are inevitable – in fact, they’re a sign not just of life, but of forward progress – will we be better able to make the journey to the place we want to be? I’m confident that’s the case.

Since the events of 2009, the process has repeated itself plenty of times for me. The highs have been magnificent and the lows have been low enough for me to read the Devil’s shoe size. And that’s pretty low. Each time, I find myself understanding more fully that this is just a part of the process. Success really is a journey and the map ahead is filled with peaks and valleys.  When you’re on a peak, enjoy it fully. My wife and I have a favorite restaurant we go to only when we’re standing on the peak. When we’re in the valleys we remind ourselves how amazing it is to be among those few who get to take this road – our fellow artists and cartoonists. Along the way I stop, look around, and feel gratitude for my even being on this ride. We are most certainly the lucky few.

As mentioned, rejection is not only a large part of this business, but its a part of life. And just as in life, the better you learn to handle adversity, the likelier you’ll achieve what you want. Simple, right? Not right.

During my brief and colossally unfocused college experience, I learned a few life lessons. One, drinking beer rather than attending class may have a negative impact on your grades. Two, I was intellectually better suited for weight training than philosophical studies. And three, perspective is key. What do I mean by that? In law class, the professor described the importance of obtaining the complete picture of an event. In so doing, you’ll have to talk to every available witness, and compare what they observed with what others observed. Surprisingly, people will witness the same event and recall the experience with total clarity and an abundance of detail. Only it doesn’t match what another credible witness describes – how can that be? Perspective. Hold up a quarter with heads facing you, tails facing outward. Ask someone in front of you to describe what they see. It’s the same coin observed at the same moment, but the difference in perspective will provide a substantially different set of details. So it is with rejection. How do you choose to see it?

I’ve read somewhere an interesting tidbit about Babe Ruth, the legendary home run king. Not only did he knock more balls clear out of the park than anyone else in his time, and for quite a time thereafter, but he also struck out more than anyone else. He wasn’t put off or defeated by the misses, as great a number as they were – more than anyone else’s, but he had to have remained focused on the idea of succeeding. Stepping up to the plate and giving his best every time and letting the outcome be what it will be. Forgetting about the last three strike-outs – it’s only this at-bat, this singular moment that counts. Once it’s passed, it’s time to focus on the next opportunity to swing, and so on. Looking back should be to glean something beneficial from the experience: how could I have done that better, is there an opportunity to improve, what feedback am I getting that I can make actionable and advance my goals? Then turn back around and focus on your next chance to succeed.

Here’s an exercise worth trying. What was your last disappointment? How did you take it? Did you automatically categorize it as a defeat, a rejection not only of your work, but of you personally? Was there a sudden loss of motivation that impacted other areas of your day? From what perspective were you looking at the rejection? Lets take that same event, but flip the coin. Were there any opportunities to learn? Were you still focused on what was ahead of you or were you driving forward while looking at the rear view mirror? Did you ask for feedback – why the work didn’t meet the needs of your prospective client or buyer? Were there opportunities to close the gap between where you are and where you want to be? It’s my belief that you learn far, far more in defeat than in victory, which makes defeat, if we are to call it that, fertile ground for opportunity.

Having had no shortage of rejections, I’ve had ample opportunity to learn some of the reasons why my submitted work didn’t get it done. Sometimes, it’s just not the right time – the company or publication may have run something too similar in the recent past, or the style is redundant in what they already have. It may be a matter of fiscal policy – they’re getting behind another property and can’t invest in anything new at this time even though they value your work. It could be stylistically wide of the mark – great art, but not for their audience. Or it could be the editor or creative director woke up to a broken coffee maker and there’ll be hell to pay, and your submission was the first they vented on. Whatever the reasons, always remember that your perspective is the one that counts the most. Momentum is directed by perspective – forward or backward, you decide.

One of the methods I use to keep my head screwed on straight with regard to rejection, is a term I’ve borrowed from the military, Fire and Forget. I fire off my submissions, forget them and move straight into creating the best work for submitting again in the next round. When rejection comes as it always does, I seek information on how to improve or when to resubmit. With Fire and Forget, I’m too busy setting up for tomorrow to worry about what I did yesterday, and how others reacted to it.

Remember this: your work has value. Some markets, some art directors, and some time frames may not be receptive, but that should have no bearing on what you want to achieve and your mission-oriented drive to get you there.