After 20 rejections, he finally learned how to give upWhen giving up teaches you more than persevering ever could

After three years and more than 20 rejections from US graduate programmes, a philosopher gave up and took an office job, only to discover that philosophy was the thing he could not let go.

A philosopher applied to graduate programmes in the US and was rejected more than 20 times over three years. He decided to give up for a while and took over an office job from a friend.

He lasted a week. The office job was worse than the sting of the rejection letters, and that is how he confirmed what he really could not give up was philosophy, while the thing to abandon was the job.

He applied for two more years and was accepted at the University of Arizona. What stays with me is the question he ends on: would I know myself better if I gave up?