Why is everybody so afraid of rejection?

Question

We get rejected in some form or another every day. We also do the same to others every day. So why the fear? You know it's going to happen. You know you're going to do the same to others.
I don't get it. Why be afraid of the inevitable. It's not like it's going to kill you.

Is it better to be paralyzed by fear and have nothing? Or better to risk the possibility of rejection and perhaps have something?

Answer 1

its better to risk the possibility of rejection and perhaps have something

never let the fear of striking out, keep u from playing the game

Answer 2

I can't answer for everyone but will speak for myself. When something creates deep fear in my life I find that it is most often rooted to something from my past.
My mother had too many issues of her own to love a child. My father loved me, I think, but didn't know how to express it. He was demanding and perfectionistic. I spent all my childhood trying to win his approval. I never did. When I was 15 he left us. I thought it was my fault for never being good enough. I didn't even know that I believed that - it was a pain so excruciating my heart tucked it away. And there it bled into my soul like an infected wound for years.
I spent much of my life trying to please anyone and everyone. Maybe somehow being good enough for others and doing everything "right" would fix things with my father. Any hint of disapproval or rejection ripped that deep wound just enough to let some searing pain into my soul. It felt like being rejected by my father all over again.
I know the truth now and don't try too hard any longer to please my father or anyone else. The wound is healed, but the scar will never go away. I have a scar on my hand from a deep cut. It has been there for 26 years and it still hurts sometimes if I bump it just right. The scar in my soul is like that, too.

Answer 3

I think that in my life, I've always risked it, and I'm glad that I did, because now I don't live with any delusions of "What if". I made sure that I completed the "What if" when I had the chance.

Alas! I have other annoying life lessons (fears) to deal with. My own "Himalaya" to conquer is Trust, and this lesson keeps repeating itself in different ways through different people, and I just can't seem to figure out how I can let go, open the door and trust.

Answer 4

The risk taking is always the better option, but it sure ain't comfortable. Sometimes people are miserable with what they have, but at least they know and understand what to expect. Some people feel so lousy inside that they cannot believe that anyone else would view them differently. This is a total life perspective problem.

If you can find a way to bottle your perspective, you'd be rich. And many people would most likely be way happier. Your logic is correct... but sometimes the rest of us simply can't get over ourselves.

Answer 5

Because for some rejection knocks down their confidence and that's something they just don't want to deal with. I feel that if you never try then you rejected yourself because you never know what's going to happen unless you try it.

Answer 6

Because it hurts, and you never know when it will happen. Like a balloon popping. You know it's going to sooner or later but it still scares the crap out of you when it does.

Answer 7

u answered your own question pretty much, they fear rejection just because they know that it is indeed inevitable.

Answer 8

Rejection is my middle name

Answer 9

I agree, I don't think we should be scared of rejection.

But I am, and unfortunately it's because of the consequences of the rejection and how we care for our reputations.

Answer 10

I'm not. I'm already rejected; it makes no difference to me