[will_phipps]

Hey i've been rejected from YC twice and Seedcamp 4 times. Academically I always flunked it, never cut the grade until I got to university and started pulling in the odd distinction.

Failure and rejection are what drives us entrepreneurs, if your going to let an application to a start up bootcamp get you down, how you going to deal with getting knocked back by all those people you're trying to do deals with. Just add it to the list of knock backs and keep on going.

Seriously, getting rejected from these things is as good as getting accepted; it's what you make of it, you might get rejected but you'll figure out how to move forward whatever the weather. Hell, you might get through, but I am pretty sure once you have then the hard work will just be beginning and there'll be plenty more knock backs around the corner that'll you have to deal with.

[tonster]

Exactly. Upon rejection there are two options: give up, or just push harder.

[will_phipps]

Yes and giving up inevitably means going and working for someone else, either on their dream, or under their command. Never ever give up..no matter what. I'm certain the majority of successful entrepreneurs toiled away for 10, 20, 30 years before they finally 'made it', certainly in the olden days. It's easy to get distracted by these overnight success stories, because success can happen so quickly with these dot coms, but there is a danger you can get demoralized and wonder why it's taking you so long to make it. You aren't alone on this and you have no idea what those overnight success stories had to contend with to get there.

Bootstrap your lifestyle, live off lentils and water, if you need to support the wife and kids work part time, but you can still make progress and find a way out, no matter what the obstacles! to paraphrase Robert Crumb, "Keep on Truckin"

Then go and play some Albert Collins on full blast....preferably the album, "Truckin' with Albert Collins", it'll make you smile...