I've come to see rejection as a natural part of my journey, not as a roadblock but as a redirection. Over time, I’ve realized that the sting of rejection has less power over me because my self-worth isn’t tied to external validation. Instead, I rely on what I believe in myself, trusting that the right opportunity will come.
Each rejection teaches me something valuable—what worked, what didn’t—and that knowledge helps me move forward with confidence. This mindset seems to be born out of experience and perspective.
If I were giving my 20 y/o self advice, it would be this: get rejected early and often. It takes the sting out of it and helps you become more comfortable with the process. In the end, rejection just becomes another step toward the next opportunity.
I've come to see rejection as a natural part of my journey, not as a roadblock but as a redirection. Over time, I’ve realized that the sting of rejection has less power over me because my self-worth isn’t tied to external validation. Instead, I rely on what I believe in myself, trusting that the right opportunity will come.
Each rejection teaches me something valuable—what worked, what didn’t—and that knowledge helps me move forward with confidence. This mindset seems to be born out of experience and perspective.
If I were giving my 20 y/o self advice, it would be this: get rejected early and often. It takes the sting out of it and helps you become more comfortable with the process. In the end, rejection just becomes another step toward the next opportunity.
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Eric's BlogThe Artist's Oath
The Artist’s Oath is a personal commitment to how I show up creatively. It is a reminder to lead with integrity, to resist the pressure to perform, and to make work that reflects truth, not just what gets attention. It is a compass for navigating the tension between expression and permanence, and a way to stay rooted in what matters: presence, process, and purpose, not perfection.
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AI is changing how people relate to each other at work.
Eric's BlogNot My First Rodeo: Minting SuperRare Ghost Tokens
The story of how I minted art on SuperRare in 2021 while banned.
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https://paragraph.xyz/@epr/thoughts-on-rejection?referrer=0x5573FEdf9f390F41033C89Eb15dfDb8b1981cd3A
i get rejected all of the fkn time and it really does get easier. i love to look at it as being one rejection closer to getting acceptance.
exactly!
i got turned down for a graduate painting program and i took the art department rejection letter and i changed it to "fart department" and i sent the letter back. i love telling my kids that story.