The names are known, the faces are familiar and their stories are inspirational. However, while we know who they are now, we ignore the failures they went through to get to where they are today. From Oprah Winfrey to Henry Ford, all these greats went through struggles to get to where they are now. Here is looking at the struggles the people who changed the world went through early on in their life.

1. Oprah Winfrey 

Before Oprah became the first Black female billionaire, she led a really hard life. Her childhood was filled with struggles and heartache. Born to a working class family (her mother was a daily wage worker and her father was a construction worker,) Oprah not only lived in poverty, but was also abused at the age of 9 and 13. To make matters worse, she ended up with an unfortunate pregnancy at the age of 14. With her childhood bieng anything but glamorous, Oprah fought hard and long to get to where she is right now. From getting fired for being unfit for television to becoming one of the most inspirational faces in the world, Oprah truly came a long way. Struggling through everything life threw at her with grit and determination, Oprah’s sturggles to success are an inspiration to everyone!

2. Walt Disney 

It may have all started with a mouse on paper. However, did you know that before his rise to success, Walt Disney failed not once, but several times? At the age of 20. Disney was fired from his first because his editor thought he lacked imagination and creativity. The first rejection did not stop him and he went on to create Laugh O’ Gram, a startup which went bankrupt months after its inception. In fact, even after creating the now famous Mickey Mouse, Walt could not find distributors for his seemingly unique product. It was only until sound made its way into the world of cinema that Disney became the sensational phenomanon it is today! If Disney gave up after the first bankruptcy, the world would have been a very different place!

3. Henry Ford 

Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Company, was more than just a successful entrepreneur. While everyone knows what Ford is, not many know he failed two times and filed for bankruptcy both those times! In 1900, Ford formed his first company, the Detroit Automobile Company with backing from the famed lumber baron, William H. Murphy. The company went bankrupt. His second attempt was in 1901, when he formed the Henry Ford Company, which he ended up leaving with only the rights to his name. This particular company was later renamed to the Cadillac Automobile Company. However, it was Ford’s third try, with the Ford Motor Company which hit the proverbial nail on the head. The rest, as they say, is history!

4. Colonel Sanders 

Yes, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) is finger licking good. However, do you know how many fingers went into making the chicken so delectable? Founded by Colonel Sanders, the special chicken recipe was rejected a grand total of 1009 people! Before he broke the perfect chicken recipe, he tried his hand at every odd job which came his way. From being a fireman to being a tier salesman, Sanders did it all. A broke and hungry Sanders came up with the idea of frying chicken with the right sauces, a recipe created to perfection over time. He set up his first Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) restaurant in 1952 and from then on, the success rate was stupendous. In 1964, at 72 years, Sanders sold the the company for $ 2 million dollars to a group of investors led by Jack C. Massey and John Y. Brown Jr. He retained the rights to the Canadian franchises and stayed on as a salaried goodwill ambassador to the company. They say a happy tummy makes a happy person and Colonel Sanders rise to success proves just this point!

5. Thomas Alva Edison 

We know the story all too well. Edison tried over 10,000 times to get the idea just right. His primary focus? Inventing a commercially viable electric bulb which would give people all over the world the power of light and electricity. From his teachers to his peers, everyone thought Edison could not succeed with his life. If he had given up at the young age of 5, the world really would be very different.

The world is filled with wonderful inventions and creations. From tech related products to electricity related inventions, these were only possible because the inventors and the creators refused to give up their dream. If you think we missed out on any great inventors or creators, please feel free to comment and let us know!