Last year, Hollywood actress Reese Witherspoon shared a personal story of failure on her Instagram, to show how a particularly crushing setback had enabled her to cultivate the perseverance she needed to pursue her dreams.

“So many stories on Instagram focus on success, but sometimes it’s important to remember that rejection or failure can really be a great help in our lives,” she began. “When I first started as an actor, I went on an audition for a part that I wanted more than ANYTHING. This was an incredible movie with a huge male movie star as the lead. I had three callbacks, then a screen test and one day my agent called and said, ‘You didn’t get the part, the lead actor liked working with the other actress more’. Oh boy, did I cry. Ugly tears. For three whole days. But I recovered. And I got a different job. It wasn’t the same and I never watched that movie (!) but I learned so much from that experience.

“Over the years, I lost as many parts as I got. I was always considered TOO something. Too short. Too feisty. Too energetic. I once got told I seemed too smart to play a young female character. I’m not gonna lie, sometimes all the rejection would hurt my feelings, I would take it personally. I definitely cried in the shower a lot in my 20s.

“What I didn’t know then was: rejection teaches you perseverance and how to get tough. And you also learn… not every path is right for you. My friend Kerry Washington always says ‘Rejection is God’s protection’. You are on a path that is made for YOU. Sometimes the universe is protecting you from a bad job or a toxic relationship. So remember next time you fail at something or someone leaves you heartbroken… let yourself be sad, grieve what didn’t happen for a minute but move ON. Better things are waiting for you.”

Inspirational quotes: the best pieces of advice you will ever read from women who have been there