Transitioning and Embracing the Chaos
If it's anything I learned from the likes of Mark Cuban and Sir Richard Branson, it's that "success doesn't always come in the first go or through a single opportunity." Mister Cuban started his career by selling garbage bags and later teaching disco lessons. Eric Lefkovsky sold carpet for a living before co-founding a group coupon site. I understood very well that preparation is key in all of this. At the same time, I knew I had to listen to that inner voice in my head telling me to pick myself back up whenever a door was slammed in my face. So what happens after that? Well, the answer is simple. I would build myself another door. Okay, what if that doesn't work out? In that case, I'd find any means to climb through the window. The point I'm trying to make here is that I never abide to any self-limiting notion or other's people subjective opinion on how I should live my life because the most beautiful part about this entire post-graduate journey is that I finally get to paint my present with my own brushes and palettes. For many months, I've watched my friends settled into a new chapter of their lives. Some of them are pursing higher education (yes, my childhood best friend just got into Notre Dame Law!) while others packed their bags and moved into a brand new city. It's an exciting time for us all and I couldn't have been more proud knowing I have such a hungry and ambitious group of friends. While they are all trying to adapt to working full-time, I have moved back to Orange County, got myself a two year gym membership pass, and submitted my resume/CV to some 25-30 prospective companies in Hollywood. Yes, I've gone to final rounds of interview for companies such as 20th Century Fox to Lionsgate; however, something always went south. That's part of life right? Whether it was my lack of direct experience or my being a fresh college graduate, either way, I was never the right fit or someone was always a better fit. I could never wrap my head around these hiring decision process, but it was important for me to maintain my confidence in the auxiliary experiences and skill sets I've gained over the years.
I would be completely lying to you if I said playing the waiting game was not difficult. Often times, it was extremely nerve-racking, especially when you have Asian parents breathing behind your neck. However, one thing USC has prepped me for is to consistently showcase my adaptability and willingness to grown and learn. During this time period, I read (a lot), I watched plenty of YouTube videos, I did tons of research on entrepreneurs and successful people. While school "can teach us competence, it can't teach us character," so having enthusiasm and passion for what you're doing goes a very very long way.
I hope sharing a little bit of my story enables you to know that it's okay to experience pushback. If you've read my previous blog posts, you'd know that I've gone through my fair share of struggles and will continue to do so. I've learned to accept the fact that it's okay to not land what I had perceived to be my 'ideal' job. Things will eventually fall into place as soon as we all realize we're more than capable of creating and building that door of opportunity ourselves.
Best of luck and as always, Fight On!
