Famous Failures Who Didn’t Quit

It is all too easy to quit trying to reach success when you have failed.  However, quitting certainly is not the answer.  If you have ever tried something and failed you are in very good company.  Take note of the following famous failures.

Famous Failures in Politics

Abraham Lincoln’s first attempt at politics failed when he campaigned for a seat in the Illinois General Assembly.  His fiancé died, he failed in business, and he was defeated in 8 elections.  He journeyed on to become the 16^th President of the United States.

Harry S. Truman had a rough start.  Both the US Military & Naval Academies rejected him because of his poor eyesight.  Before becoming a US President he held positions as a clerk in a newspaper mailroom and an usher in a movie theater.

Winston Churchill did poorly academically in school and also had a speech impediment when he was very young.  He went on to become a British Prime Minister.

Famous Failures in Science

Isaac Newton was pulled out of school at a young age by his mother so that he could run the family farmed.  This is something that he failed at.  He later reentered school and became one of the greatest scientists of all time.

Albert Einstein was not able to speak until he was four years old.  He also had behavioral problems.  However, this did not stop him from winning the Nobel prize in physics and discovering the photoelectric effect.

Thomas Edison had a really rough start as a student.  In fact his teachers told him that he was too stupid to learn anything.  That did not stop him.  He eventually went on to create the electrical lamp, the phonograph and a movie camera.  He also became the holder of more than 1,000 patents.

Famous Failures in Sports

Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team.  He was so devastated that he went home, locked himself in his room and cried.  He did not quit playing basketball and went on to become a six time NBA Champion, five time NBA MVP, & 4 Time NBA All-Star.

 Lionel Messi, one of the world’s best soccer players, at 11 years old was cut from his team.  He was also diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency.  This deficiency mad him shorter in height than most children his age.  This soccer superstar is a three time FIFA World Player of the year.

Famous Failures in Show Biz

Oprah Winfrey was fired from her job as a news anchor.  It was said that she was not fit for television.  She bounced back and became the queen of talk shows.  She also has a media empire and she is now worth at least 2.9 billion dollars according to Forbes.

Walt Disney was fired from a newspaper because he was “lacking imagination” and “had no good ideas.”  In fact, several of his businesses failed before he launched the movie Snow White.  He is the creator of Mickey Mouse and the winner of 22 Academy Awards.

Stephen Spielberg was rejected by the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts several times.  This did not stop him from pursuing his dreams.  In spite of this setback he created the first summer blockbuster with Jaws in 1975.  He has also won three Academy Awards.

Fred Astaire’s first screen test was less than favorable.  One of the executives wrote that Fred Astaire could not sing, could not act and was slightly balding.  Also wrote that he can dance a little.  Fred Astaire went on to become a legendary Broadway and Hollywood star.

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