'Just keep swimming'

This is a handy manual to deal with dejection and failures.

Rejection and criticism are almost the same; both demotivate the weak, but motivate the strong.’ Anon

Many books have been written on how to handle rejection. In fact, this theme has become rather hackneyed and a tad threadbare. But, as they say, there’s nothing new except for the presentation. Ambi Parmeswaran’s ‘Spring: Bouncing Back from Rejection’ presents this subject in such an adroit and altogether novel manner that you’re bound to doff your hat to the man.

Who hasn’t faced rejections in his or her life? In reality, much more than the instances of acceptance, we all face a barrage of rejections. Lily-livered people succumb to them, but people with a steely character and resolve overcome them to emerge as winners. This pragmatic book by a super-achiever, who himself faced rejections in life and career, underscores the fact that only by facing rejections, can one become successful in life because rejections are actually stepping stones to success.

Life lessons

‘Rejection is an experience as to what not to repeat in your next endeavour,’ was an invaluable piece of advice given by the legendary Hindi newsreader Devaki Nandan Pandey, when a lanky young man politely asked him why he was rejected by AIR as a Hindi/English newscaster in 1963. That young man took a lesson from his rejection and didn’t let it dampen his zeal and resolve. He worked harder and today his voice is a metaphor for a perfect baritone! He was also rejected by SSB (Staff Selection Board) and many directors didn’t consider him to be an actor at all. So many rejections in so many spheres, yet he triumphed. Yes, I’m talking about Amitabh Bachchan. ‘Rejection is an injection, injection of inspiration,’ stated Ernest Hemingway in his Nobel acceptance speech. The manuscript of his ‘A Farewell To Arms’ was rejected by a number of publishers. But today, it is considered to be a classic and Hemingway was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954.

With practical examples, anecdotes and solutions, Ambi Parmeswaran has dealt with the subject of rejection with utmost sympathy, nay empathy. Nowhere does this IIT-Madras-IIT-Calcutta educated topper sounds condescending or pontificating. He has chosen an apt metaphor ‘spring.’ Bounce back like a spring is his infallible mantra to the readers. Remember, there’s no fate that cannot be surmounted by scorn.

To encapsulate, this book by Ambi has an ambit of positivity and an orbit of excellence. It reiterates that rejection is not permanent eviction. Just the way a fighter pilot ejected from his aircraft bounces back immediately, a rejected person can soon spring back to his/her normal and ebullient self. A must for those who feel rejected, dejected and crestfallen.