If you’re an entrepreneur, then you know that rejection is a part of the game. In fact, it’s not uncommon to face hundreds, if not thousands, of rejections before finally achieving success. The key is to never give up and to always learn from your mistakes.
Here are seven famous entrepreneurs who faced a lot of rejection before they achieved greatness:
1. J.K. Rowling
Before she was the world-famous author of the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling was living in poverty and struggling to make ends meet. She faced dozens of rejections before finally finding a publisher for her now-iconic books.
2. Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan is one of the greatest basketball players of all time, but he wasn’t always a superstar. In fact, he was cut from his high school basketball team. He used that rejection as motivation to become one of the best players in the NBA.
3. Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is now one of the most successful women in the world, but she faced plenty of challenges early on in her career. She was fired from her first job as a news anchor because she “wasn’t fit for television.” Not one to be deterred, Oprah went on to build a media empire.
4. Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg is one of the most successful directors of all time, but he wasn’t always considered a Hollywood heavyweight. In fact, he was rejected by the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts multiple times before eventually being accepted.
5. The Beatles
Yes, even The Beatles faced rejection early on in their career! They were famously turned down by Decca Records in 1962 with the statement “we don’t like their sound, and guitar music is on its way out.” Of course, we all know how that story ended…
6. James Dyson
James Dyson is now a billionaire thanks to his invention of the cyclonic bagless vacuum cleaner, but it took him 5,127 prototypes and 15 years to perfect his design. He faced plenty of skepticism and rejection along the way but never gave up on his vision.
7. Walt Disney
Walt Disney was once told by a newspaper editor that he “lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” We can all see how wrong that editor was! Today, Disney is one of the most successful entertainment companies in the world.
Rejection is inevitable if you’re an entrepreneur–but that doesn’t mean it’s not tough to take.
The key is to never give up on your dreams and to use each rejection as motivation to keep pushing forward until you reach your goals. Just look at all these famous entrepreneurs who faced tons of rejections before becoming wildly successful! If they can do it, so can you!