How Getting Rejected at Work Fueled My Career Success

In 2022, I was in a junior role and mustered the courage to ask a coworker for her number. She refused and said she doesn’t give her number out. I could see her smiling, but it felt like she was just boosting her ego. Over the next few years, I focused on my performance. By 2026, I’d earned a promotion and now manage my own department. I stopped chasing her and started meeting other women, helping the company grow its profits in the process. We still work in the same building but in different departments. Every day, I notice the regret in her eyes. It’s a reminder that I chose self-improvement over seeking validation.

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