Mateen sent a message to Dominic Barton Managing Director, McKinsey Company – email address that said:
Hi Dominic,
I stumbled across your interview just right after getting rejected from the Boston Consulting Group's Amsterdam office. The timing was such that I would say that it was luck that I created by my perseverance and networking.
The interview was amazing; I have a similar story with you. I come from Pakistan from lower middle class, and grandson of a carpenter. I was lucky to be in a school of elite, and only one from the family who made it. And like you believed in the potential of people who just didnt have the right luck, I also believe that if I can make it then everybody can.
And I also heard the feedback that "you are not structured", and felt like I am an engineer being told that I don't know physics." After words I also felt that I have to choose what intrinsic goals I have and not let other people define who I am.
However, I disagree with you on one thing. You said that your father said that even if you would become a garbage picker it would be ok, you wanted to hear something else. My father said the same thing, and probably because he comes from a humble background as well and achieved a lot, but I also wanted to hear something else. But, I think this very attitude of our dads made us go through the ups and downs of life, become comfortable with failure, and consequently take risks, follow the gut feeling and do great things.
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Regards
Mateen
