‘If you are facing rejections, success is getting closer’: Founder who failed IIT-JEE twice inspires many online

It is often said that success comes through hard work, perseverance and determination. And this social media post by a startup founder aptly proves it. Sumit Mittal took to X (previously Twitter) to detail the struggles he faced during his academic and career pursuits.

In a deeply personal note, he wrote: “Yes, I failed IIT JEE twice. Yes, I failed my chemistry pre-board exam. Yes, my family faced a financial crisis. Yes, I worked at a call center. Yes, I completed my BCA from a distant college. Yes, I started by teaching four students in a very small room. But I got AIR 4 in NIMCET. But I completed my MCA from NIT Trichy. But I have worked with top product based companies. But now I am a mentor to 1000s of students. Life is supposed to be full of ups and downs. I saw both sides. If you are facing rejection after rejection, don’t worry. Success is getting closer with every step.”

Mittal’s journey reflects an unconventional path marked by early academic setbacks and financial difficulties. He wrote about failing competitive examinations, working in a call centre, and completing his Bachelor of Computer Applications from a distant college during a challenging period.

Despite these obstacles, he later secured an All India Rank 4 in the NIMCET entrance examination and completed his Master of Computer Applications from National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli.

Thereafter, he worked with leading product-based organisations before venturing into mentoring, and currently, he mentors thousands of students based on learnings from his own experiences.

A third comment highlighted the emotional side of success, stating, "Resumes don't show the scars, but your story proves that failures are just the setup for a massive comeback. From a small room to a mentor of thousands inspiring."

Other users also shared supportive messages, including "Well done! Wish you further success," and "This is so inspiring. Proud of you man."

A similar inspirational story has been making rounds on the internet, in which Brett Adcock, founder of Figure AI, who has been ranked 144th on Forbes’ net worth list, shared that he came from humble beginnings.

“I grew up on a farm with no money. Now I get to build the kinds of projects I only saw in sci-fi as a kid. I don’t take that for granted,” he wrote while reacting to an X post that congratulated him on the achievement.