The NPR program Invisibilia recently reported on how a man confronted his fear of rejection by framing it as a daily goal.
Jason Comely withdrew from his social life after his wife left him for a man assessed as better looking and more wealthy. This triggered an intense fear of rejection turned him into a recluse.
To overcome his fears, Comely drew inspiration from self-imposed intense exposure therapy, reminiscent of Spetsnaz. Every day, Comely sought rejection – once, for example, by asking for a ride from a stranger.
He turned his day-to-day life into a game where the goal was to get rejected. It made him feel amazing. He thought, “Wow. I disobeyed fear.”
Later, he formalized his approach into a card game called Rejection Therapy. The game is composed of a deck of cards with Comely’s real-life rejection attempts, like “before purchasing something, ask for a discount.”
People all over the world have adopted his approach and began playing his game.
Jason advises people to “just get out there and get rejected - you're going to feel great after."