17 Famous People Who Almost Gave Up Before They Made It Big
It is rare for success to occur overnight. Many of the most well-known people of today have backstories of rejection, failure, and times when they almost gave up on their dreams.
Their experiences serve as a reminder that perseverance frequently separates brilliance from obscurity. Here is a list of 17 famous people who were on the verge of giving up before finally achieving remarkable achievement.
Walt Disney
Walt Disney’s early animation studio went bankrupt, and he was sacked from a newspaper for “lacking imagination.” When he applied for funding for his theme park idea, he received more than 300 rejections.
Disney reportedly ate dog food to make ends meet when he was unable to pay his rent.
His perseverance permanently changed the entertainment industry.
J.K. Rowling
Before Harry Potter became a global phenomenon, Rowling was a divorced single mother living on welfare. Her manuscript was rejected by 12 publishers, and she was told ‘not to quit her day job.’
The small publisher who finally took a chance only did so because the CEO’s eight-year-old daughter begged him after reading the first chapter.
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Oprah Winfrey
Oprah was fired from her job as a television reporter because she was deemed ‘unfit for TV.’ Her boss told her she was too emotionally invested in her stories.
This setback came after overcoming poverty and personal trauma throughout her childhood. She persevered to become one of the most influential media executives in history.
Stephen King
‘Carrie,’ King’s debut book, was rejected thirty times before he threw the manuscript in the garbage. His wife retrieved it from the trash and urged him to try again.
He got a $2,500 advance for the book that started his illustrious career as a best-selling novelist while he was living in a trailer and working as a janitor.
Albert Einstein
Teachers thought Einstein was delayed since he didn’t speak until he was four years old and wasn’t able to read until he was seven. He was refused admission to Zurich Polytechnic and expelled from school.
In his free time, he worked as a patent clerk and formulated his ground-breaking theories. His perseverance altered our conception of the cosmos.
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Michael Jordan
Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team, sending him home to cry in his room. He used this rejection as motivation, practicing relentlessly until he became perhaps the greatest basketball player ever.
His famous quote captures his mindset: ‘I’ve failed over and over again in my life, and that is why I succeed.’
Tyler Perry
Perry lived in his car while working on his first play, which failed miserably. Six more productions flopped before finding success.
He spent his last dollars producing a play that was performed in a 200-seat theater that rarely filled halfway. Today, he owns a 330-acre studio complex and became the first African American to own a major film studio outright.
Vera Wang
Wang failed to make the U.S. Olympic figure skating team and then was passed over for editor-in-chief at Vogue. At 40, she pivoted to fashion design with no formal training.
Her wedding dress business, started as a late-career move, blossomed into a billion-dollar empire that revolutionized bridal fashion.
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Thomas Edison
Edison’s teachers called him ‘too stupid to learn anything.’ He was fired from his first two jobs for being unproductive.
While developing the light bulb, he famously made over 1,000 unsuccessful attempts. When asked about his failures, he remarked, ‘I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.’
Lady Gaga
Before her rise to fame, Lady Gaga was dropped by her record label, Def Jam, after just three months. She performed in small clubs while working as a waitress.
Many industry executives told her she was too theatrical and unconventional. Her persistence led to her becoming one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
Steven Spielberg
Spielberg was rejected from film school three times due to poor academic grades. Undeterred, he found an unpaid intern position at Universal Studios by sneaking onto the lot.
His first feature film attempt was widely panned. Today, his movies have grossed over $10 billion worldwide, making him one of history’s most successful filmmakers.
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Vincent van Gogh
Van Gogh sold only one painting during his lifetime and was considered a failure. He struggled with mental health issues and poverty, often unable to afford art supplies.
Despite creating over 900 paintings to virtually no acclaim, he continued his work. His pieces now sell for millions, and he’s recognized as one of the most influential artists ever.
Howard Schultz
Schultz, who grew Starbucks from a small coffee shop into a global giant, was rejected by 217 investors when trying to raise money to buy the original Starbucks.
Growing up in subsidized housing, he persevered through repeated rejections, with banks and investors repeatedly telling him his idea would never work.
Arianna Huffington
A total of thirty-six publishers rejected Huffington’s second book. Critics wrote off The Huffington Post as an aggregator that would never work when she started it.
Throughout her career, she was made fun of for her writing style and accent. She is now regarded as a pioneer in digital journalism, and her media company sold for more than $300 million.
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Harrison Ford
It was studio executives who told Ford that he was not a star. He supported his family by working as a carpenter and building cabinets for George Lucas, which landed him a role in “Star Wars.”
Prior to his success, he gave acting significant thought in order to concentrate on construction work as a more stable source of income.
Colonel Sanders
Harland Sanders was 65 years old, broke, and living on a $105 monthly pension when he began offering his chicken recipe to restaurants. His famous recipe was allegedly rejected over 1,000 times before a restaurant agreed to use it.
He traveled from door to door for years before KFC became the global phenomenon we know today.
Andrea Bocelli
Bocelli’s mother was advised to terminate her pregnancy due to predictions of her child being born with disabilities. Later, a music teacher told him he had no talent for singing.
After losing his sight completely at 12, he faced enormous obstacles in pursuing music. Today, he’s one of the most successful classical crossover artists in history.
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Lessons From The Resilient
Looking at these remarkable journeys, we see a common thread of perseverance woven through different eras, industries, and circumstances. Their stories reveal that success often waits just beyond the point where most people surrender.
What separates these individuals isn’t exceptional talent alone but extraordinary persistence. Their examples remind us that our darkest moments of doubt might be the turning point toward our greatest achievements.
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