10 years ago, I found a scholarship that sends emerging leaders to Asia for a year.
They find them housing and even a good job.
I was hungry for adventure and validation, so I applied.
I made it to the final round, but didn't get selected.
I applied the next year, confident I'd get it this time.
Rejected.
I applied for a third year.
Rejected.
Instead of traveling the world, I got an IT job down the street.
It hurt to be denied permission to do something exciting.
It felt like the universe had conspired against me for three years.
Until I realized something so obvious now:
>> I could just go to Asia on my own <<
I didn't need any committee's permission.
A few months later, I quit my job and hopped on a one-way flight to Bangkok.
I spent the next three months rock climbing around Southeast Asia.
My Asia trip was nothing like how I planned, but that's what made it so special.
I'm sharing this story partly to flex on you all.
But also because I know that rejection sucks, whether it comes from employers, committees, or dating apps.
And prolonged rejection has a way of narrowing our imagination.
If you're still knocking on the front door, here's a friendly reminder:
>> There’s usually more than one way in. <<
