Never Give Up: 11 Famous People Who Turned Their Failures Into Success

The road to success is challenging. There is no one in the world who hasn’t struggled his way to the top. It’s never easy for anyone. Luck doesn’t always favour you. You have to get up and get going. Even the most successful people in the world have faced failures, and too many of them. But he who rises up against obstacles and continues the race forward is the one who reaches the top.

Here are 11 successful people who faced huge failures early in life, but didn’t stop trying.

1. Walt Disney

Walt Disney, the creator of Mickey Mouse, was accused of lack of creativity in the beginning of his career. Not letting himself get bogged down by an early rejection, he went on to give the world characters like Donald Duck and Goofy.

2. Steve Jobs

The man responsible for the iphone, the ipod, and the ipad, was given away by his biological parents for adoption because they couldn’t afford to bring him up. Later, Jobs was unceremoniously ousted from Apple, the company he co-founded. Today, he is known as the father of the digital revolution.

3. Steven Spielberg

There is no questioning the talent of the brilliant director Steven Spielberg who directed blockbusters like ‘ET’ and ‘Jurassic Park’. But not everybody believed in him from the start.

4. Henry Ford

The man who is believed to have revolutionized industrial production in the 20th century suffered many a loss in business. Failed businesses and bankruptcy didn’t discourage him from trying to build one of the most successful car companies in the world.

5. Richard Branson

The famous Virgin Atlantic tycoon much known for his colourful antics and acute business sense was nothing like his impressive self as a child. Growing up, he suffered from dyslexia and had major cognitive problems. Today, he stands as the twelfth richest man in Britain.

6. Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president of the United States, is regarded as one of the greatest presidents in the history of the US. And yet his start was not exactly smooth. A humiliating demotion in the army (he went to war as a captain but returned as a private which is the lowest rank in the army), a series of failed businesses, and repeated defeat at elections could have broken the toughest of men.

7. Michael Jordan

Often regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan struggled his way to success. According to Forbes, he was the first athlete to become a billionaire.

8. Albert Einstein

The genius of a scientist most famous for his theory of relativity was mistaken to be retarded by his parents when he was a child. His grades in school were consistently poor and he couldn’t even read till the age of seven. No one could have predicted the child would go on to win the Nobel prize in physics.

9. JK Rowling

The creator of the bewitching world of Harry Potter lived a far from comfortable life before her books became a rage across the world. Struggling as a single mother raising her child in absolute poverty, Rowling was living on government welfare when she wrote her first Harry Potter book. Today, she is one of the richest women in the UK.

10. Amitabh Bachchan

The Bollywood star needs no introduction. He is one of the most iconic actors alive today. And yet, luck didn’t shine on him too soon in Bollywood. He had his share of failures before he finally turned around his fate.

11. Oprah Winfrey

The host of the most successful talk show in the world had a tough childhood. Who knew she would grow up to become one of the most influential women in the world and North America’s first black billionaire.

The success stories of these people prove that nothing is impossible. If they could make it despite so many hurdles, so can you. No matter how many failures you face in life, the ability to get up again and finish the race is what makes you a winner.

We are sure there are a hundred other inspirational stories of people who have conquered success despite being down in the pits. Human will power never ceases to amaze. Have you written your story yet?