[jjaredsimpson]

But how do you know the ideas were/are great? Rejection isn't evidence of quality.

[panpanna]

Well, that's a very valid question.

My point is that with time, you can look back at ideas that turned out to be great and recall how they were initially received.

[jacques_chester]

Personal recollection is highly unreliable. Especially if you have a mental schema that correlates idea quality with social rejection.