 On Tuesday, 15th of September 1964, the young boy lived in a city where tourists often visited. He was fascinated by the ways and languages of these strangers. He will drive 70 miles on his bicycle to meet with these tourists in an attempt to engage them in conversations in the hope to learn their language. He was a lovable, warm teenager and his name is Mayu. In excitement, Mayu showed these strangers beautiful places around his city. Young Mayu was born into a poor family from Hangzhou in China. And at an early age, he wanted so much to learn the English language that he would leave everything else to meet English-speaking tourists serving as a tour guide. Mayu wanted to do more than just speak a few lines of the language. He wanted to have mastery of the English language. So he decided that he will study English at the university, but first he had to pass the Chinese entrance examination. This proved a bit difficult and he took shared determination as Mayu had to write the exam four times before he passed. He finally graduated with BA English Honours. The future looked promising as Mayu had to get a well-paying job quickly, but it wasn't as easy as he thought. Ma faced rejection about 30 times while trying to get a job. In fact, in one interview with KFC out of all the 24 people interviewed, Ma was the only candidate who got rejected. That young Mayu is who the world knows today as Jack Ma. Jack Ma tried to get to Harvard, but he was rejected 10 times. He tried to join the police, but no way. Faith, however, had other plans for Jack Ma. As these rejections opened him up to other opportunities, Jack Ma discovered the internet and found a gap in the Chinese information that was available online. That was how he started his first business, designing and establishing a website that provided information about Chinese businesses. Few hours after his website was launched, investors from China reached out to him. And that was how Jack Ma began his internet entrepreneurship journey that turned out to become a multi-billion-dollar investment. Ma founded Alibaba, a Chinese-based online marketplace. Today, Jack Ma is one of the richest entrepreneurs in the world. What are you going through now and why do you want to give up? Listen, epic things start with small, humble steps. And these steps often come with several mistakes and failings. Vision Lakhaini said, and I quote, pay respect to your beginnings. And if you're just starting out, know that it's OK to be sucky, to be small, to be messy and chaotic. Just make sure to never stop dreaming. Humble beginnings require waiting it out. When you take a leap to start something and the numbers look like, why did I even start these ventures in the first place? Don't give in. Celebrate your small wins as you wait for the big wins. Nothing good comes easy. Joyce Meyer once said, and I quote, small beginnings are the launching pads to great endings. Everybody loves a good ending in any story. But more often than not, the hero goes through various challenges and hurdles, which he or she has to overcome and come out victorious on the other side. There are no happy endings without trials and tests. That must be passed. The good news is that you were strong enough and have what it takes to pass your own peculiar test that you started something as a sure sign that you are one of the greatest minds that will succeed. Rob Waldo Emerson said, the world makes a way for the man who knows where he's going. The only way you can show the world that you know where you're going is by not giving up. Don't expect a smooth ride. Instead, be willing to fight through the obstacles. When you fall, smile and try again. When you're rejected, try again, try again, because if you don't try again, you're never going to win. Paul J. Meyer says, construct your determination with sustained effort, controlled attention and concentrated energy. Opportunities never come to those who wait. They are captured by those who dare to attack, dare to explore uncharted waters and unfamiliar terrains. And when you dare, you'll face failures and rejections. That's where to show your strength. Climbing many stairs to get to the top of the building can leave you breathless, but the view at the top is far more glorious and beautiful. It does worth the effort. So remember the story of Jachmar and how he overcame many rejections to become one of the richest men in the world today. Keep pushing. Keep taking one step at a time. Keep acting despite failures. Keep moving despite rejections. Never stop until you achieve your goals.