Do not turn one closed possibility into a verdict on every remaining one.

One rejection arrives carrying more authority than it ever earned. The mind generalizes fast, and a single closed door gets read as a statement about your prospects, your field, or your age. It was one decision, made by particular people, on a particular day, with limited information. It does not have that reach.

After a rejection, write in one factual sentence what was actually decided. Then find the next thing to apply your effort to before the sentence has time to grow.