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

“Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay, not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end. Failure is something we can avoid only by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing.” - Denis Waitley.

When Sidney Poitier first auditioned for the American Negro Theatre, he flubbed his lines and spoke in a heavy Caribbean accent, which made the director angrily tell him to stop wasting his time. Poitier worked on his craft and eventually became a hugely successful Hollywood star. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor and helped break down the colour barrier in the America film industry.  

As a child, Albert Einstein had some difficulty communicating and learning in a traditional manner. Of course, Einstein's communication and behavioral problems were not indicative of a lack of intelligence. He won the Noble Prize in physics for the discovery of the photoelectric effect, and his special theory of relativity theory corrected the deficiencies of Newtonian physics.

 

J.K. Rowling was a single mom living off welfare when she began writing the first "Harry Potter" novel. Rowling is now internationally renowned for her seven-book Harry Potter series and, in U.S. currency, became the first billionaire author in 2004”, I mean the first billionaire author in 2004.

Vincent Van Gogh sold only one painting, "The Red Vineyard," in his life, and the sale was just months before his death. If he had given up his artistic career after it proved to strain his financial and emotional well-being the art world would be missing hundreds of paintings from a true master.

Nelson Mandela a.k.a Rolihlahla Mandelato - “During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.” 

Those words made Aparteid South Africa government to sentenced Nelson Mandela to 27 years imprisonment. On April 27, 1994, South Africa held its first democratic elections. Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as the country's first black president on May 10, 1994, at the age of 77, with de Klerk as his first deputy.

Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, had his first book rejected by 27 different publishers. Dr. Seuss became a legendary children's author known around the world for classics like "The Cat in the Hat” and "Green Eggs and Ham." His books have sold over 600 million copies.  

Lucille Ball appeared in so many second-tier films at the start of her career that she became known as

"The Queen of B Movies." Then she got her big break when CBS picked up her and her husband Desi Arnaz's vaudeville act and turned it into the highly influential sitcom "I Love Lucy."

A young Henry Ford ruined his reputation with a couple of failed automobile businesses. However, after conducting a search, he was finally able to find a partner who had faith in him. Ford proved he had learned from his mistakes. When Ford Motor Company forever changed the automotive industry and culture with his assembly line mode of production. 

While developing his vacuum, Sir James Dyson went through 5,126 failed prototypes and his savings over 15 years. But the 5,127^th prototype worked and the Dyson brand became the best-selling bagless vacuum brand in the United States. He is now worth an estimated $4.5 billion, according to reports.

Stephen King grew so frustrated over his attempt to write the novel "Carrie" that he threw away the entire early draft. King's wife Tabitha found the manuscript in the trash and took it out “Carrie” became a hit and launched his career. His novels have since sold over 350 million copies.  

Winston Churchill once famously exhorted an audience to “never give in”. There is another saying attributed to him about perseverance. Here is another versions: ''Success is the ability to move from one failure to another without loss of enthusiasm.'' 

While you ponder on this, the next edition to share some key takeaway points from Jack Ma interview with Charlie Rose at the Davos World Economic Forum.

Till Then Have My Care