Dr. Jessica Bacal – The Rejection That Changed My Life…

The Not Old Better Show Interview Series

Welcome to The Not Old Better Show.  I’m your host, Paul Vogelzang

As part of our Art of Living Author interview series, today’s guest is powerhouse writer and educator Jessica Bacal.  Dr. Jessica Bacal is the author of the best-seller, Mistakes I Made at Work, which ‘FAST COMPANY’ magazine ranked as a “Top 10 Book You Need to Read This Year” that was 2014.

Now, in 2021, Jessica Bacal’s new book, The Rejection That Changed My Life: 25+ Powerful Women on Being Let Down, Turning It Around, and Burning It Up at Work is really a ‘handbook.’

In our conversation today, Dr. Jess Bacal shares stories of women professionals and their experiences with rejection and growth.Dr. Bacal tells us about early rejections how, when viewed from the distance of an otherwise successful career, they may end up being, unfortunately, discouraging as they make rejection seem like a low hurdle to be easily overcome. The overarching lessons from Dr. Bacal  are to “see the experience of rejection, including our own reactions to it, as just data” and to practice receiving rejection “like a muscle.” Dr. Bacal’s tips are helpful, her message of normalizing setbacks comes across most powerfully in a conclusion considering universal themes of struggle and renewal. This affirming compilation is perfect for The Not Old Better Show audience and anyone else seeking to find their footing in a complicated new work world, either those of us in ‘second acts,’ or those on their first act, so we don’t avoid rejection but learn from it, and don’t take a first rejection as an absolute.

That of course is our guest today, Dr. Jess Bacal, reading from her new book, The Rejection That Changed My Life: 25+ Powerful Women on Being Let Down, Turning It Around, and Burning It Up at Work

My thanks to Dr. Jessica Bacal, author of the new book, The Rejection That Changed My Life: 25+ Powerful Women on Being Let Down, Turning It Around, and Burning It Up at Work. Links to Dr. Bacal, her work, and her new book are available in the show notes.  My thanks to you, my wonderful Not Old Better Show audience.  My hope is that you’ve either had your vaccine or you’re standing in line for the vaccine listening to the show, right now!  Please stay safe, practice smart social distancing, and let’s talk about better.  The Not Old Better Show.