When I was newly single last year, I made a lot of mistakes early on. I took a woman on a second date to an expensive restaurant, which is something you typically shouldn’t do when you just met someone.

In my mind, the date was going well. We had a great conversation, and both mentioned what a good time we were having. At the end of the night, I walked her to her car, and after taking for a bit, went in for the kiss. She turned her head at the last moment as my lips collided with her cheek and said, “Oh, that’s awkward.”

I simply smiled and said, “I had a good time, hope you have a good night.” We texted a little after, but I never asked her out for a third date.

Although I made a lot of mistakes early on, one of my strengths was that I always handled rejection like a champ. I looked at going on dates as practice—all I wanted to do was have fun and meet amazing women. The next day, I even texted my friends like it was a funny battle story, instead of a slight. I realized it was for the best and moved on.

Men are horrible at rejection. We lose our shit, and take it as a referendum on our manhood, or our value as a person. It isn’t. Every single adult has experienced rejection. Meeting other people is a number’s game—some will think you’re amazing, others will think you’re corny and will want nothing to do with you. It’s part of being polarizing, which is necessary for success. The ability to handle rejection like a man is powerful.

Next time you encounter rejection, even if it is rude or stinging, handle it in a centered, ambivalent, polite manner. Visualize yourself joking about the rejection to your friends, as you forget that person and move on like it was nothing.