Well, I think we have to get used to it. “We’re not that good,” Jack said.
I once read an article about China’s richest man, Jack Ma. In it, the author wrote, “Rejection is synonymous with Jack Ma.” That line stuck with me.
If you’ve ever read Jack’s story, you’ll understand why. He applied for dozens of jobs and got rejected from all of them even though KFC didn’t hire him. He failed university entrance exams multiple times. Investors laughed at his ideas. And yet, he went on to become a billionaire founder of one of the largest e-commerce platforms in the world “Alibaba.”
His life is proof of the saying “It doesn’t matter how many times you fall, as long as you keep getting back up.”
At first, I didn’t fully understand what Jack meant when he said, “We’re not that good.” But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. He wasn’t giving up or being self-deprecating he was embracing reality. He acknowledged that he and his team weren’t the best yet, but they were willing to learn, grow, and improve.
That, right there, is the kind of mindset we all need. the ability to accept our current limitations without letting them define our future.
Jack Ma hit a rare balance between self-confidence and open-mindedness. He believed in himself enough to keep going, but he was also humble enough to accept criticism, learn from his failures, and work harder.
So many of us confuse self-confidence with arrogance. We think confidence means pretending we have all the answers or acting like we’re always right. But real confidence isn’t about that. It’s about knowing your strengths and your weaknesses and still choosing to keep going.
The dictionary defines self-confidence as “an attitude about your skills and abilities. It means you accept and trust yourself and have a sense of control in your life.” It also means being willing to grow, to change, and to get better.
Self-confidence is not saying, “I’m better than everyone else.” That’s ego.
Self-confidence is saying, “I may not be there yet, but I believe I can get there.” That’s power.
Rejection doesn’t mean you’re a failure. It just means you’re being redirected. Most of the time, when people say “no” to you, they are not rejecting your entire being. They are simply saying, “Not right now” or “Not this way.”
The question is “What will you do next?”
Rejection is painful I won’t deny that. It hurts to be told you’re not good enough. It stings when doors close in your face. But pain is not permanent. And it definitely isn’t a death sentence.
What’s deadly is giving up on yourself.
I’ve faced rejection too, in many forms. Job offers that never came. Opportunities I wasn’t chosen for. Projects that failed. People who said “you’re not ready” or “you’re not what we’re looking for.” I’ve been told “no” enough times to know it’s part of the journey. But every time I chose to try again, I became better, stronger, and wiser.
So here’s my message to you;
Don’t let rejection bury your potential.
Don’t let one “no” erase all your “what ifs.”
And no matter how many times you fall never call the ground home.
Rejection may be out of your control. But giving up is a choice. And it’s one you should never make.
Keep believing. Keep trying. And most importantly keep rising.
Onono Writes from Bayero University Kano and can be reached via [email protected]
