Rejected by Google, missed IIT, left startup: Ankur Warikoo shares 3 moments that shaped his success and changed his life

Entrepreneur and content creator Ankur Warikoo believes some of life's biggest disappointments can become turning points. In a recent social media post, he reflected on three moments when what initially felt like failure eventually led him to opportunities he never expected. Sharing his story, Warikoo said there were "3 times destiny has worked" for him, pointing to a Google rejection, missing out on IIT and leaving his startup just before the lockdown.

Google rejection led to his first startup

Warikoo recalled applying for a product role at Google several years ago. However, he was rejected because he did not have an engineering degree. Looking back, he believes that rejection changed the course of his career. Instead of joining Google, he went on to start his first startup.

He reflected that if he had landed the job, he "wouldn't have a startup," suggesting that the setback ultimately opened a far bigger opportunity.

Missing IIT helped him meet his wife

Warikoo also shared how not getting into the Indian Institutes of Technology became another defining moment in his life. After spending his Class 11 and 12 years preparing for IIT, he was unable to secure admission. He instead joined Hindu College at Delhi University.

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It was there that he met his wife, leading him to believe that life had a different plan. He wrote that had he gotten into IIT, he "maybe wouldn't have met her."

Lockdown sparked his content creation journey=

The third turning point came during the COVID-19 lockdown. Warikoo had recently left his previous startup and suddenly found himself with nothing to do after the nationwide lockdown was announced. Instead of staying idle, he began creating content online, a decision that eventually became one of the defining chapters of his career.

Reflecting on that period, he said that if COVID had not happened, he "maybe wouldn't be making this content today."

'Every failure seemed like the end'

Warikoo said these experiences revealed a common pattern in his life. Every setback initially felt like "the end of the road," but each one eventually led to something better than he could have imagined. He added that while people often spend time planning, waiting for the right moment and weighing every option, fate may have a better plan, provided they continue moving forward.


Ending his post on a reflective note, Warikoo encouraged people to keep going, saying the signs are always there and that people simply need to notice them.