Being rejected is like being shot down, whether it’s your ideas, your proposal, your dream. All we can do is really try our best again, again and again. Because success came to those who tried the hardest. I’d like to share my experience myself. Graduating from senior high school, I always wanted to go to overseas to study for my degree. Most of my friends already applied to Malaysia, Singapore, Australia or even United States of America. Honestly? I’m full of envy.

My parents already told me it’s quite expensive, and we might or might not afford it, because at the same time my sister is also graduating from junior high school and he’s going to the best high school in town which is SMAK1 BPK PENABUR, Jakarta. I applied anyway, and I did get in, but in the end my parents said it’d be better if i don’t go to abroad. If i want to do postgraduate degree then i can go.

Filled with disappointment i applied to Bina Nusantara University. Always told myself that i despise private universities in Indonesia because of their lack of quality(my own opinion though). Basically because they don’t really put much quality and focusing on quantity.

And where does it got me? If i was at Malaysia right now, I’d be studying right now and knew nothing about startups. I wouldn’t be #StartupLokal apprentice, I wouldn’t be knowing all these great guys from Indonesian startups scene who inspired me day by day.

Another rejection? I applied for an ‘internship’ in a local news site months ago. BOOM! I was rejected. Days later, Willis Wee from Penn Olson mentioned me on Twitter said that a position for a writer there is available and he wanted me to fill it. Yup, and until right now I’m still writing for them and I’m happy that i have such a great mentor/editor/boss/friend in Willis. From then on, I am also appointed as Associate at East Ventures.

As people said, rejection is probably a God’s way of saying that it’s not great enough for you to have, I have a better plan for you. Keep going, and you’ll find your way!