Results: If At First You Don't Succeed...Part 2

Never let your failures in life define you or stop you. Learn from them and do something amazing, as these inspiring stories will prove. One of the most successful authors in history is J.K. Rowling. However, unlike what some might believe, Rowling's fame didn't come easy. While she didn't grow up poor as a child, as an adult, she struggled. She was a single mother living on welfare, trying to support her daughter. It took her seven years to write the story of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and when she finished, all twelve major publishing houses rejected the book. After a year, she made a deal to print 500 copies of her book with Bloomsbury, a relatively young publishing company. Have you read this series?

Sylvester Stallone's young-adult life was incredibly tough. At one point, he was homeless for three weeks, living in the New Jersey Port Authority bus station. He was also so broke that while writing the script for Rocky, his electricity was turned off and he was forced to sell his dog for $25 just to turn the lights back on. He was also rejected by talent scouts over 1,500 times. But he never gave up, and has now over 81 movies to his credit. Do you know of any other actor who also had to struggle and then made it big?

Soichiro Honda, the late founder of the Honda Motor Company, dealt with an enormous amount of failure. In 1937, at the time of the Great Depression, Honda founded a company in an attempt to create piston rings for Toyota. He failed, having to pawn his wife's wedding ring just to stay afloat. His first factory was bombed during WWII. The second factory was destroyed a short time after by an earthquake. But he didn't give up. Have you ever owned a Honda car or motorcycle?

Abe Lincoln's failures were broad and numerous. He achieved the unique feat of leaving for a war a captain and returning a private (the lowest military rank). He next took failure in his stride during multiple failed business attempts. Undeterred, Lincoln marched into the political realm, where he launched several failed runs at political office before his ascendance to President. Lincoln ran for the U.S. Senate and lost twice. He also ran for the U.S. House of Representatives and lost twice before finally getting elected in 1846. He shared this quote about his failure: "My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure." Do you think these are wise words for anyone?