Top 12 Most Influential Failure to Success Stories of All Time

1. Michael Jordan - Missed more than 9,000 shots over 3,000 games. 26 times he was trusted to the game winning shot and missed. M.J. was kicked off the high school basketball team, he went home locked himself in his closet and cried. Jordan is considered the greatest professional basketball player of all time. He was elected to the basketball hall of fame, won countless awards including 5 MVP awards, is a 6 time NBA Champion and 4 time NBA All-Star.

2.The Beatles - Turned down by the Decca recording Studio who said, “We don’t like their sound and guitar is on it’s way out.” After finally signing a deal they became the most successful and loved act in history. They have had more number one albums on the charts in the UK, and held down the top spot longer than any other musical act. The Beatles have sold more in the US than any other artist in history.

3.Thomas Edison - He was told, “He was too stupid to learn anything, and that he should go into a field where he would succeed by the virtue of his pleasant personality.” Edison failed at making the light bulb 10,000 times before succeeding and when asked how he felt about it he said.

4. Walt Disney - Was fired from a newspaper for “lacking originality and having no creative ideas of his own.” Disney became one of the best known motion picture producers in the world. The Walt Disney corporation today has annual revenues of over 35 billion dollars. He received 59 Academy award nominations, 22 of which he won, and won 26 Oscars.

5. Henry Ford - He failed and went broke five times before successfully creating the first Model T car. The Model T revolutionized the automobile and transportation industries forever. Ford was a prolific inventor and was awarded 161 US patents. He also is responsible for Fordism – that is the mass production of a large number of inexpensive automobiles using an assembly line style of production, coupled with higher than average wages and benefits for the workers.

6. Albert Einstein - His parents and teachers where worried he was mentally challenged because he didn’t speak until he was 4 and didn’t read until the age of 7. Einstein was described as “Mentally slow, unsociable, and adrift in foolish dreams.” It was said “He won’t go very far in life.” He is now known as the father of theoretical physics, and is considered to be one of the most influential influential people in history. He is best known for discovering the theory of relativity and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work.

7. Charlie Chaplin - Was initially rejected by Hollywood executives because they felt “His act was nonsense.” Chaplin was one of the most creative and influential personalities of the silent film era, he brought joy and laughter to a tired war torn world. He is one of the best know actors and directors in the world.

8. Elvis Presley - After his first performance the king was told “You ain’t going nowhere son, you outta go back to driving a truck.” He became the King of Rock almost overnight, toppling the charts with one smash hit after another. He is the best-selling solo artist of all time. Presley is honored in four music halls of fame. He won three Grammy s, and the Grammy lifetime achievement award at age 36.

9. Steven Spielberg - Rejected by the use film school 3 times, Steven Spielberg dropped out of high school and was “Talked into”coming back as a part of a disabled learning class. He lasted a month, and his career started as a un-paid, seven-day-a-week editing intern. Spielberg has won two academy awards for best director, and three of his films have achieved box office records. Each becoming the highest grossing film at the time.

10. J.K. Rowling - Was a single parent living on welfare when she started writing the famous Harry Potter series. The book was rejected by the first twelve publishers before a small London publisher accepted it. Within five years she amassed a fortune with the series gaining worldwide attention. She has won multiple awards, sold millions of copies, and the books have been the basis for a very popular and financially successful series of films.

11. Steve Jobs - At 30 years old he was left devastated and depressed after being ceremoniously removed from the company he started. He moved on and founded Apple Inc, and was the Co-founder of Pixar animation studios. His companies are know as leading innovators of their respected industries, both of which have cult like followings.

12. Sylvester Stallone - Had to sell his dog for $50 in order to survive and it broke his heart, his wife left him. After watching an Ali and Weppner fight he came up with story of Rocky and spent 24 straight hours writing it. Stallone was denied more than 2,000 times when attempting to sell the rights to Rocky. He was finally offered $100,000 for the screenplay as long as he wouldn’t play the part of Rocky, he refused the offer. He was broke and nearly homeless in a New York Winter when he settled for $25,000 and the main role as the Italian Stallion. He took the money, waited in front of the store where he sold his dog for three days, he eventually bought the dog back for $15,000. He has become, and still is one of the most successful film stars in United States history.

Source: http://www.warriorforum.com/mind-warriors-success-power-self-improvement/848818-top-12-most-influential-failure-success-stories-all-time.html