I recently came across an article on economy.bg about “Successful People Who Failed First.” And I have a soft spot for stories about people who overcame discouragement after failure. Like the little donkey that was thrown into a well but managed to climb out, they are living examples of turning obstacles into stepping stones on the ladder of success.
This website already features such a story – the story of the remarkable Abraham Lincoln – but the article mentioned above adds several more.
For example, Marilyn Monroe, who in her first contract was described as ugly.
Or Walt Disney, who was once told that he had no imagination.
There is also the well-known story of Thomas Edison, the inventor of the light bulb, who went through more than a thousand failed attempts before succeeding, and who at school was considered not particularly intelligent.
The article does not fail to mention Van Gogh, who managed to sell only one painting during his lifetime – to a friend – while today his paintings are worth millions.
I also learned from it that the founder of Honda, Soichiro Honda, was rejected for a job at Toyota and remained unemployed for many years.
And I didn’t know that Steven Spielberg applied to university three times and was rejected each time…
These are examples from the lives of people who are not just successful, but exceptionally successful. What they all have in common is that they followed their hearts and what inspired them. And in doing so, they in turn became a source of inspiration for others like them – people who carry creative potential but, before success arrives in their lives, go through its opposite: failure, rejection, and defeat.
Kameliya Hadzhiyska
