Why You Must Embrace Rejection to Succeed

http://foundread.com/2008/04/18/why-you-must-embrace-rejection-to-succeed/

by naish • 18 years ago

30 16 18 years ago

you gotta learn how to die-ie-ie / if you ever want to be alive.

freax5• 18 years ago

Don't count yourself out. It sounds so trite, but do you realize how often you already do it? Not just in start-ups, but everything: Do you not talk to that girl/boy because you don't want to bother them, or think they'll say no? If you're not convinced you're worthwhile, how will you convince anyone else? Are you so concerned with being right that you won't let yourself become absolutely certain of your own success because "there are no absolutes"? Are you worried that if someone takes a chance on you, you'll let them down? Does that worry stop you?

Most people stop even trying and take themselves out of contention!

Rejections are like points. There's a secret magic number you need to collect, and then you succeed.

freax5• 18 years ago

As a side note, this article made me check out the resume of the author of that essay it references. Started college at 12? Graduated at 17 with a double BS in CoSci and Physics? University Medal in CoSci? All sorts of scholarships and awards. And yet rejected by YC.

That's a pretty glaring big data point that says YC's claim about choosing people, not ideas is junk. They probably didn't even read her resume because they don't spend enough time on the applications, which is still an indictment of their selection process. If you habitually make decisions in the absence of vital information you end up screwing the pooch.

If I were an investor I'd bet on that one for sure. Not even an interview?!?

donw4• 18 years ago

Being a child prodigy, and excelling in school, doesn't necessarily make her a good bet as an entrepreneur, however amazingly talented she might be. Or, YC might have missed the boat big-time on this one, and she's going to go off and found the next Google. No selection process is perfect, people make mistakes, and one data point does not a trend make.

freax5• 18 years ago

> doesn't necessarily make her a good bet as an entrepreneur, however amazingly talented she might be.

Yes, yes it does make her a good bet. If you are betting, bet on people with immense talent and drive.

Who else are you going to bet on, people with far less talent and drive? I think you're confusing "good bet" with "guaranteed to be more successful".

> No selection process is perfect

Yes, but there's a huge gulf between "almost perfect" and "woefully inadequate" when it comes to not being perfect. YC is closer to the latter just due to the lack of time they spend on the process.

> and one data point does not a trend make.

Correct -- but it's one more data point. There are multiple others from reports here. For example, YC not looking at demos; or asking questions that indicate they didn't bother to read or understand the application. Plus when you see some of the schlock they've funded it's clear something's broken.

donw4• 18 years ago

Not just rejection, but failure. It's not how we succeed that defines us, but how we crash and burn. Those that get up, no matter how many times they are beaten down, are the ones that eventually succeed. Those who give up are the true failures.

dennykmiu3• 18 years ago

donw - I absolutely agree. It is all about getting up and ride again. I dedicate an entire chapter to my dad "who taught me how to ride a bicycle".

http://www.lovemytool.com/blog/2007/10/riding-a-bike.html

donw4• 18 years ago

I am loathe to click on a link to a site titled 'Love My Tool'... :)

okeumeni• 18 years ago

Loved this article!

Why You Must Embrace Rejection to Succeed

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