Been a while since I last posted, but still an avid lurker/browser…
I can vouch for #2 on the list. Though that can be broken down in two categories:
- Getting fired
- Getting laid off
I’ve had the dubious pleasure of being on the receiving end of both of those and while at that moment it doesn’t matter which of the two it actually is, (its still a kick in the teeth), you can at least make peace with #2 by knowing that it wasn’t personal and probably not any reflection on you as a professional.
#1 is trickier. A lot of soul searching / self examination is required, but the sting of this too can be eased over time by keying in on what happened and what you could have done better. Accept responsibility for those things you did wrong and learn from them.
Either way, it can be devastating at the time, but in the long run can serve to give you some valuable experience and hopefully make you a better person/designer/employee.