Since I've been considering things through a mental health lens lately, I have a notion that I might experience above-average rejection sensitivity over efforts I might pursue

As in, why bother putting effort behind any particular significant project if no one cares?

Not sure rejection sensitivity is really the right frame here. I don't want to overcommit to appropriating the term.

But I do feel long-lasting accumulated reticence after throwing a lot of expensive personal energy into a self-started project that ends up either a fizzle (common) or actively derided (rare)

I think some folks have a knack for just dusting themselves off and throwing themselves at the next thing

I don't tend to have this knack, since my focused enthusiasm feels rare & expensive

Thing is, rationally, I know that this is a healthy & productive knack to have.

  • Not all efforts are worthwhile.
  • Helps to find niches for efforts.
  • Sometimes an effort needs speculative work to discover whether it's worthwhile.
  • With sufficient attempts, a jackpot may be found.
  • Hopefully at worst, something is learned.

So maybe this is accumulated psychic crud over years that I can spend time scrubbing off?

Or maybe this is a a load-bearing wall in my psychology?

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