“This is perfect timing to explore options since I have full scholarships (covering fees and maintenance)“, was the response I got from a professor I had sent a cold email to during my search for PhD opportunities. That sounds like the perfect reply anyone can wish for, be it from a potential supervisor or a prospective employer or business lead. Fast forward to today and I am doing my PhD with that fully-funded studentship. Was the studentship journey smooth from the start till I won it?
Like the dart game, sometimes it may take several tries to hit the bullseye and sometimes you can hit it on first throw. For me the journey took longer than I had envisaged and the bullseye (in fact three of them in quick succession) did not come until after several lonely months of seeking and dealing with rejections. A contact told me of the response she got which went along the lines of ‘why did you wait this long to send me this message. I have already accepted students‘. She felt bad about it and was asking if there’s anything she could do to convince the Professor. I can personally relate to this.
Rejections are tough to deal with and could be taken personally; perhaps the person doesn’t like me or I am doing everything wrong. While they may provide valuable feedback and motivations that prepare us for future opportunities, sometimes it just signals that the opportunity was not ripe yet. It was not the perfect timing! We must do all we can to forge ahead, not letting it hold us back from pressing on and focusing on the future. That said, it’s also time to think ahead and devise proactive strategies to trigger the perfect timing.
In this new year, as we anticipate the ‘perfect timing’ in the areas we are sowing the seeds of hardwork and diligence, let’s keep the positive attitude and not allow the waiting to deter us. Have a great 2020!
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