I actively invite rejection. That’s not to say that I don’t try my hardest. There’s a subtle difference here.

I’m a perfectionist at heart. When I do something, I do it right. So when rejection does come (and it comes often), it’s basically telling me to do better. To be better. This is why I invite rejections and hardships.

It’s easy to simply say ‘well, maybe I’m just not good enough’ and that is the quickest way to becoming a mediocre human being. It is the quickest way to be moderately disappointed for pretty much your entire life. I did this a lot. It made sense to me, and it was easy. When I failed at classical Indian dancing as an 8-year-old, I told myself I was clumsy and everyone else was just born graceful to make myself feel better. When I reflect on this time as a 21-year-old, I think about all of the little things that I did not do. I had the dedication and I loved dancing, but somehow always ended up watching cartoons instead of practising. It was this realization that was the game changer.

When you want something bad enough, you work. You simply put in work. If rejection comes, you take it at face value. Reflect. Reflect on the things that went right and the things that went wrong. Use that reflection to come up with innovative solutions to the rejection at hand. Rinse. Repeat.

If, after all of that, it seems as though rejection keeps following you… just simply let go and relax. I know this is contrary to everything I just said and it is a very difficult thing to do. But sometimes, it is the best course of action for your sanity and for your happiness.

Recently, after a particularly hard string of rejections, my father told me a story about A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the former president of India. After his undergraduate years, he had been planning on becoming a fighter pilot. He put in a stellar application and failed. He tried again and failed. He tried one more time, with enthusiasm and dedication and he still was not accepted to be a fighter pilot. In fact, he was ranked 9th for the 8 spots they had available. Following this, he went on a spiritual journey and met a saint who told him to trust that the universe was taking care of him. He went on to become an aerospace engineer, engaging in India’s pioneering nuclear programs and he eventually became the President of India. How’s that for the universe taking care of him?

Achieve that balance for success and for happiness. As my spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has beautifully said, “try your best and leave the rest!” Do work. Implement changes. Make yourself to be the best possible version of yourself. Do it with enthusiasm and passion. And then… just relax (and have an ice-cream sundae, but this is optional).