The Underdogs Who Went On To Influence The World (i)

The Underdogs Who Went On To Influence The World (i)

Rejection and failure can feel devastating, but you shouldn't let it crush you. Some of the world's most successful people have failed — sometimes more than once, twice, thrice and even ninety nine times. 

These highly successful people, abound from movie stars to scientists, who experienced massive failure before they found fame and fortune.

Weaker people or mediocre might have given up. Instead, these folks remained focused on their goals. I phrase them ‘The Underdogs Who Went On To Influence The World’’.

In addition to being rejected from Harvard ten times, Jack Ma failed his university entrance exams three times, and applied to thirty jobs and was rejected from every single one. Today Jack Ma is apparently the wealthiest man in China who founded Alibaba, a Chinese e-commerce website that, according to Boss Hunting, "handles more traffic than Ebay and Amazon combined". Only last year, his company raised the largest Initial Public Offering on the New York Stock Exchange, with the company valued at $200 Billion, and making his net worth $20+ Billion. 

Winston Churchill was estranged from his political party over ideological disagreements during the "wilderness years" of 1929 to 1939.

At the outbreak of World War II on Sep. 3, 1939, Churchill was appointed to the British Admiralty, thus ending his "exile." The next year, he was elected prime minister at the age of 62.  

Thomas Edison's teachers told him he was "too stupid to learn anything."

Edison went on to hold more than 1,000 patents and invented some world-changing devices, like the phonograph, practical electrical lamp, and a movie camera.

Oprah Winfrey was fired from her first television job as an anchor in Baltimore, where she said she faced sexism and harassment.

But Winfrey rebounded and became the undisputed queen of television talk shows before amassing a media empire. Today she is worth an estimated $ 2.9 billion, according to Forbes.

Enoch Adeboye General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), was born in the village of Ifewara, Osun State, Nigeria. His parents were very poor that they could not afford to pay the school fees. His father eventually gave in and sold his goat in order to pay for his son’s school fees. 

In 2009 the “Let Somebody Sought Hallelujah’’ crooner was named one of ‘The World’s Fifty Most Powerful People’ by Newsweek Magazine (USA).

Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor because he "lacked imagination and had no good ideas." Several more of his businesses failed before the premiere of his movie "Snow White." Today, most childhoods wouldn't be the same without his ideas.

 

Soichiro Honda's unique vision got him ostracized by the Japanese business community. Honda was a mechanical genius who idolized Edison and rebelled against the norm. his passion for aggressive individualism was more fit for the United States, and thus alienated him from Japanese businessmen, who valued teamwork above all else. Honda then boldly challenged the American automotive industry in the 1970s and led a Japanese automotive revolution.

Colonel Harland David Sanders was fired from dozens of jobs before founding a successful restaurant. He traveled across the U.S. looking for someone to sell his fried chicken, and after finally getting a business deal in Utah, Kentucky Fried Chicken was born. KFC is now one of the most recognizable franchises in the world, with over 18,000 locations.  

Sir Isaac Newton's mother pulled him out of school as a boy so that he could run the family farm. He failed miserably. Realising her son was not meant to till the land, she let Newton finish his basic education and was eventually persuaded to allow him to enroll in Cambridge University. Newton went on to become one of the greatest scientists of all time, revolutionizing physics and mathematics. He died at the age of 92 as a virgin.
 

Vera Wang failed to make the U.S. Olympic figure-skating team. Then she became an editor at Vogue and was passed over for the editor-in-chief position. She began designing wedding gowns at age 40 and today is one the premier designers in the fashion industry, with a business worth over $1 billion.

Part ii comes just next weekend but before then, Work hard for what you want because it won’t come to you without a fight. You have to be strong and courageous and know that you can do anything you put your mind to. If somebody puts you down or criticise you, just keep on believing in yourself and turn it into something positive. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.