Stacy L. Chin, a researcher and startup founder, says rejection in startups stings because you pour everything into it. But founders face constant setbacks: failed experiments, rejected papers, unfunded grants, uninterested customers, investors who pass. The key is not taking it personally.
Number 11, here's the bonus one. Don't take anything personally. And honestly, this is one of the hardest lessons I had to learn as a startup founder myself. In both worlds, as a researcher and a startup founder, you're gonna pour an incredible amount of time, energy, and effort. You will invest your blood, your sweat, and your tears. And time and time again, you're gonna face rejection and so much pushback than you'll ever experience than before. An experiment won't work. A paper will get rejected, a grant will not get funded, customers will say no, investors will pass on you. And every time you get one of these rejections, they can sting and unfortunately build up. They can be deeply disappointing and impact your ego. I totally get that, and I've been there before.
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