Rejections work as speed breakers. They stop you from what you are pursuing with full potential and make you think about your process.
Recently, I had an event in my life which is very near to rejection. I applied for a program and was not accepted for it. I don’t know why I am rejected. I don’t even know what was lacking in my application.
I got this news in the morning, and my whole day is getting messed up. I am not in the right mood the entire day.
This reminds me of another rejection that I had, and from that day onward, the trajectory of my life changed.
Jumping to that story,
I was in my 12th standard…
Like all students in India, I had also joined a coaching class to prepare for JEE and worked tirelessly hard for it. I was a part of a group of 3 students. We always went to our coaching to study. We could sit in an empty room and focus better on learning. The study sessions expanded from 9 in the morning to 9 in the evening. We had our lunch and snacks together. I wasn’t the brightest, but my teacher told me to be patient and that things will work out eventually. So, I was patient.
One evening when I went to the coaching (my friends were already there), I saw both my friends in a class with some other students. I felt like they had just finished a doubt session. After some days, I learned that another batch was made with those students. I was heartbroken at that time. I don’t have words to express it (I still have that feeling lingering in my heart). At night in my room, I could hardly concentrate on my studies. The constant nagging of “they got selected, but why not me!!!”. I was in a miserable state at that time. Somehow, my parents got to know about it. I started to tell them that sir betrayed me (something like that. I didn’t say the exact words). But they told me to consult that teacher the next day.
I went to sir the following day and talked to him about this. Turns out he didn’t betray me. I was foolish at that time (I think). I was to get all the resources that they get in their batch. It was just that I would not be forced to do it. They will be. They would have to give a test inside a class together, and I would get the paper outside the class. This incident was a realization moment for me.
I started reflecting on my preparation for JEE much more than I used to. Instead of following what my friends did. I began to look into what mistakes I had made. I started to work on my weaknesses. I began to complete my backlog. And that was the time when the lock-down was imposed in India. Everything changed to online mode, and I was less connected with my friends. But it positively affected me a lot. I got much better and better. I will ask them for extra resources they were given and clear many doubts with them. I will talk with sir separately and decide my own path of action. And it felt like I had my life in control. I could learn whatever I wanted, at whatever pace I wanted.
Note: I did get all the papers. Either directly from sir or from one of my friends. Completed every question paper with doubts.
And today, I am in one of the top 5 IITs in India with a great branch.
Lock-down has provided me with great surprises. This was one of them.
Will reserve others for the future.
Hence, that rejection was one of the significant turning points in my life. I started to reflect back and change my way of thinking.
I also remember how I handled rejection back then and get myself back on track. Think about what I want to do with my life, what are my priorities. And reinvent me.
