When you’re growing up, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the things you want to do. You have a long list of dreams and goals that you want to accomplish, so how do you know which ones are worth pursuing? One way is through failure.
Failure can be an essential part of success: It motivates us toward growth by showing us what we need to improve to achieve our goals. But how does this apply to failure at work? What does it mean when someone like Michael Jordan or Steve Jobs fails at something before eventually succeeding with their next venture? How do these people grow through adversity? Here are some examples from history about Famous Failures Growth Mindset.
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The Power of a Growth Mindset
No one ever achieved anything great without first experiencing failure. That’s because the only way to learn and grow is to embrace your mistakes.
When you have a growth mindset, you see failure as an opportunity to learn and become better. You don’t give up in the face of adversity; you use it to fuel your drive to succeed.
That’s why it’s so important to surround yourself with people who have a growth mindset. They will help you stay positive and motivated when things get tough. And they will remind you that failure is not only an acceptable but also a necessary part of success.
What Is a ‘Growth Mindset’ and Why Is It Important?
A growth mindset is the belief that intelligence and abilities can be developed. In other words, it’s the belief that you’re not born with a set amount of intelligence and abilities and that you can always grow and get better. This is in contrast to a “fixed mindset,” which is the belief that intelligence and abilities are static and cannot be changed.
The growth mindset has been shown to be incredibly important in life, work, and relationships. It’s the reason people can overcome failure after failure and become successful.
You may be wondering how this applies to you. It applies to you because you are not a fixed being. You are malleable. You are changeable. You have the power to change your mindset, which will change your life for the better.
Learning from your failures is a big part of the growth mindset. If you don’t learn from your mistakes and failures, you’ve missed out on an opportunity to grow and succeed. There is no need to be afraid to fail if something doesn’t work out; try something else.
Sometimes failure can be a motivator as well. If we fail at something, it gives us the motivation to succeed at the next task or project we’re working on. It may sound cliche, but it’s true: “Fail often.” We all fall sometimes, and there’s nothing wrong with admitting that fact openly and honestly (and laughing about it).
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Famous Failures Growth Mindset
Many people who achieved great success in life faced many failures and challenges along the way. But they did not give up or let their failures define them. Instead, they used their failures as opportunities to learn, grow and improve. They had a growth mindset, which means they believed that their abilities and talents could be developed through hard work, feedback and perseverance. Some examples of famous failures with a growth mindset are:
1. Steve Jobs: CEO of Apple and the Blessing of Failure
You may not have heard the saying “How can you be a success if you have never failed?” but it’s true. Steve Jobs is a great example of someone who failed his way to success.
Jobs was famously fired from Apple in 1985 and thought his career was over. But it wasn’t. After spending years away from the company and founding another start-up, Jobs returned to Apple and revolutionized the industry with products such as the iMac, iPod, and iPhone.
Let’s go invent for tomorrow rather than worrying about what happened yesterday.
Steve Jobs
This experience taught Jobs that failure is often unavoidable and part of life, but it doesn’t mean it has to end in complete disaster. Instead, it can serve as a rebound opportunity for growth. As Jobs said, “I didn’t see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me.”
His story serves as an inspiring reminder for all of us looking for success: Failure is not something to dread or avoid – instead use it as a steppingstone for greatness.
2. Albert Einstein: A person With Unconventional Thinking
He is an iconic example of a famous failure who later went on to be incredibly successful. Despite his initial struggles in school, Einstein eventually developed his own unique thinking and theories, which drastically altered the world’s understanding of physics.
We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.
Albert Einstein
Einstein was only able to reach such heights because of his growth mindset, which allowed him to learn from his failures and use them as opportunities for growth. He thought outside the box on many of the complex problems he worked on and was unafraid to take risks in order to think differently. His unconventional approach set him apart from other physicists, and it was this type of thinking that helped him make many important breakthroughs.
Einstein’s example is a great reminder that developing a growth mindset isn’t always easy, but it can be incredibly rewarding if you stick with it and believe in yourself. If you’re willing to challenge yourself and keep pushing forward even when you don’t get it right away, chances are you’ll end up achieving great things.
3. Thomas Edison: The Master of Failing Forward
You’ve probably heard of Thomas Edison, the inventor and businessman who was responsible for many iconic inventions like the lightbulb and phonograph. But what people don’t often talk about is Edison’s relationship with failure. Edison famously said,
“I have not failed.” I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work”.
Edison was a genius of “failing forward”, meaning that he was able to look at each obstacle as an opportunity to learn and grow. He believed that failure was nothing more than feedback, and this feedback would help him adjust his strategy in order to find success.
Edison understood that it doesn’t matter how long it takes you to reach your goals. What matters is how quickly you get back up after a setback and how much you learn from it. He also firmly believed in never giving up, no matter how hard things got or how many times he failed. So next time you make a mistake or face an obstacle, remember Thomas Edison and allow yourself to use failure as feedback for success.
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4. Oprah Winfrey: Queen of All Media
Oprah Winfrey is an inspiration for many reasons, but her experience with failure is often overlooked. Before Oprah became an international sensation, she was fired from her job as a TV anchor; an event that could have been devastating. However, Oprah chose to look at the situation differently; she used it as a learning experience and an opportunity to grow.
Turn your wounds into wisdom.
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah is a great example of what a growth mindset looks like; instead of giving up after getting fired, she focused on the positive and used her experience as motivation to become even better. She also acknowledged that failure isn’t always a bad thing; it can push us to think in different ways, come up with new ideas, and ultimately become more successful.
Oprah’s story shows that you should never let failure stop you from achieving your goals. When faced with challenges and setbacks, focus on what you can learn and move forward with confidence.
5. Walt Disney: Famous Failure and Growth Mindset Pioneer
Think about one of your favorite childhood movies. Chances are, Walt Disney was behind it. He was a pioneer in the field of animation, and his movies have entertained and inspired people for generations.
But Walt Disney’s success didn’t come easily. In fact, he faced plenty of failures along the way. He was fired from his job at a newspaper because he “lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” He went bankrupt while trying to open a cartoon studio. His first movie was a complete flop.
Whatever we accomplish is due to the combined effort.
Walt Disney
Despite these setbacks, Walt Disney never gave up. He kept working hard and learning from his failures. He developed a growth mindset, which helped him achieve his dreams and make a lasting impact on the world.
You can use Walt Disney as inspiration to achieve your own goals. Don’t let your failures hold you back, learn from them and keep moving forward. With a growth mindset, anything is possible.
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6. Michael Jordan: Using Adversity to Grow
In basketball, there is perhaps no greater name than Michael Jordan. He is a six-time NBA champion, five-time MVP, and 14-time All-Star. He is also one of the greatest players to ever grace the court.
But Jordan’s career was not always illustrious. In fact, he was cut from his high school basketball team. This was a pivotal moment for him, as he could have easily given up at that point.
Instead, he used this experience as motivation to improve. He developed a growth mindset and worked harder than ever to become the best player in the world. And the rest, as they say, is history.
We can all learn from Jordan’s story. No matter how bad things seem at the moment, remember that it’s never too late to develop a growth mindset and turn things around. With hard work and determination, anything is possible.
7. JK Rowling: Dreams and Determination
Her story is a classic reminder that no matter how seemingly insurmountable the odds, you can always turn your dreams into reality with a little bit of hard work and determination.
An impoverished single mother, J.K. Rowling had numerous rejections before she was able to get her book published and make her mark on the world. Times were tough for Rowling with twelve publishers rejecting the manuscript for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone before it was finally accepted by Bloomsbury Publishing. But instead of giving up, she fiercely believed in her story and kept trying until success was inevitable.
Rowling’s story is now an inspiration to millions of people around the world, proving that anything is possible if you just don’t give up on your dreams, even during difficult times. Everyone should take solace from this amazing journey and believe in themselves throughout whatever challenges may arise in life.
8. Bill Gates: A Path to Greatness
Think about Bill Gates. He dropped out of Harvard to launch Microsoft, and he failed to deliver the first version of its software on time. So how did he respond to this failure? By reflecting on what he could do differently and improving accordingly.
The biggest lesson Gates takes from his mistakes is that it’s imperative not to give up in the face of failure. He became a superstar because every time he fell, he got up again and kept working towards his goal. That’s why he was able to build one of the world’s most successful businesses: through sheer persistence and resilience, even in the face of adversity.
We all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve.
Bill Gates
Gates is the embodiment of a growth mindset, focusing not on what went wrong but on how to make it right. He knew that failure was an essential step in learning and growth, and always used it as a tool for self-improvement rather than letting it keep him down.
9. Dr. Seuss’s story of success
When you think of Dr. Seuss, you probably think of the beloved children’s author who penned classics such as The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham. But before his success, was a long period of failure and frustration.
Before he became Dr. Seuss, young author Theodore Geisel had been met with more denials than successes. Rejecting him over and over again, publishers refused to take a chance on his stories.
Still, instead of giving up, he kept on creating and pushing himself against rejection after rejection until finally one publisher gave him a chance. That single chance led to 27 books, including the iconic ones we read today achieving great success for believing in himself and never giving up.
This tale proves that hustle and determination can prevail even against all odds, but when we make up our minds to persevere through adversity, we can achieve great things.
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10. Abraham Lincoln: From Failure to President
Think about Abraham Lincoln. He’s one of the most famous presidents in American history, and he had a pretty rough start. He lost eight elections before he was finally elected president. He was largely self-taught, and his peers thought he was stupid.
But Lincoln never gave up. He kept going, even when things looked bleak. He had a growth mindset, and he was always learning and growing. And eventually, all that hard work paid off. He became one of the most successful presidents in American history.
That some achieve great success is proof to all that others can achieve tit as well.
Abraham Lincoln
So if you’re feeling down about your failures, remember Lincoln. Remember that it’s okay to fail as long as you keep learning and growing from those failures.
11. Steven Spielberg: His 2,000 Rejections
Your life is filled with rejection. That might not be a fun thing to hear, but it’s true. Every day, you face countless opportunities to be rejected: from the job you want but don’t get, to the girl or guy you ask out but who says no, to the project you present that gets shot down by your boss.
Rejection is an unavoidable part of life. But how you deal with it can make all the difference.
Take Steven Spielberg for example. This Hollywood powerhouse was rejected 2,000 times before he finally made it big. But he didn’t let those rejections get him down. Instead, he used them as motivation to keep going and make his dreams a reality.
He developed a growth mindset, which means that he saw each rejection as an opportunity to learn and grow. And that’s a lesson we can all learn from.
12. Vincent Van Gogh: From Struggling Artist to Legend
Did you know that Vincent Van Gogh only sold one painting in his lifetime?
Yep, one. And he only managed to sell that because he lied about the painting’s author. Talk about a rough start.
But Van Gogh didn’t give up. He kept painting, kept learning, and kept growing. And now, his work is some of the most famous and sought-after in the world.
What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?
Vincent Van Gogh
What can we learn from Vincent Van Gogh? That failure is a part of the journey. That it’s not about what happens at the beginning, but how you keep going in the face of adversity. That it’s never too late to achieve your dreams.
13. Stephen King: 10th Book Was His Big Break
When it comes to famous failures and their growth mindset, who could forget the story of Stephen King’s breakthrough? It was his 10th book, Carrie that propelled him to international fame.
But before his big break, King faced an awful lot of rejection. With some of his stories, he received so many rejections that he had filled up an entire shoebox. But, despite all the setbacks, he kept going and the result was a New York Times Bestseller.
The place where you made your stand never mattered. Only that you were there…and still on your feet.
Stephen King
King’s journey and success serve as a great reminder that failure doesn’t define us and should never hold us back from pursuing our goals. By maintaining a growth mindset and believing in himself despite all his rejections, King achieved great success in the end.
14. Charles Darwin: Controversy Led to Revolution
He is a great example of someone who used failure to fuel his journey. When he published On the Origin of Species in 1859, it was met with intense controversy and criticism. However, he didn’t let this discourage him and continued to believe in the importance of his work.
He spent the next two decades exploring and researching his ideas further, utilizing experimentation and observation to find the evidence that he needed to support his hypotheses. In the end, what emerged was a revolutionary idea (the theory of evolution by natural selection) that changed the world forever.
A man who dares to waste one hour has not discovered the value of his life.
Charles Darwin
Darwin’s story serves as an incredible example of resilience and shows us that failure can be a powerful motivator for positive change. He used it as an opportunity to grow and develop, following his curiosity and pursuing evidence-based thinking until it eventually led to one of the most important scientific breakthroughs in history.
15. Henry Ford: From Failures to Success
He is a perfect example of somebody who didn’t let his failures get the best of him. He failed numerous times in his life, but he used those failures as a steppingstone to propel himself to greater heights.
Failure is simply an opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.
Henry Ford
He started his own company, but it went bankrupt. He tried again, and this time his company became successful. However, he was forced to sell it during the Great Depression. Undeterred, Ford started a new company that went on to become one of the most successful businesses in the world.
What set Ford apart was his growth mindset. He refused to let his failures define him, and he learned from every single one of them. He saw each failure as an opportunity to become better and do things differently the next time around.
16. Emily Dickinson: Overcoming Rejection
You know that Emily Dickinson wrote about the bird who stopped making nests because somebody criticized them?
Well, she was the bird. Dickinson was a prolific poet who published just a single book in her lifetime. And it wasn’t because she lacked talent or skill. It was because she was rejected time and time again by publishers who simply didn’t think her work was good enough.
Dickinson’s story is a perfect example of how to turn failure into success. She didn’t let rejection get her down. Instead, she used it as motivation to become better and to prove everyone wrong. And that’s exactly what she did. Dickinson’s poetry is now some of the most celebrated in the world.
17. Bruce Lee: The Emperor in Karate
Ah, Bruce Lee. This martial artist and movie star had a life-long growth mindset, and that’s one of the main reasons he achieved such success later in life.
Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them.
Bruce Lee
His story starts with many rejections from Hollywood studios, who viewed him as too skinny and not American enough for a leading role. But despite being denied time and time again, Lee never gave up. He went back to the drawing board, trained even harder than before, and eventually filmed “The Big Boss” in 1971, a movie which broke box office records in Hong Kong.
Lee was also an avid reader and loved to learn from others. He read books on every kind of topic imaginable, from Shakespeare to kung fu techniques to Western philosophy. His commitment to learning helped shape his growth mindset, which enabled him to stay focused on his goals despite the obstacles he faced.
18. Charles Babbage: The Father of Computing
One of the most inspiring stories of failure and a growth mindset comes from Charles Babbage, the father of computing. In 1837, Babbage designed a mechanical computer he called the ‘Analytical Engine’, which was way ahead of its time.
Sadly, this revolutionary invention was never fully realized due to financial difficulties, but despite this unfortunate setback, Babbage was able to draw many lessons from the experience. He used this knowledge to inform his work and his failures pushed him to seek new solutions and explore new possibilities in computing and science.
Through it all, Babbage kept pushing forward and recognizing that every mistake can be a “learning opportunity” instead of a defeat. His resilience eventually paid off as his work played an essential role in the development of computers as we know them today.
19. Elon Musk: Achieving Big Goals in the Face of Setbacks
Musk is the perfect example of someone with a growth mindset. He’s had his share of failures, but he never gives up. He continues to strive for greatness and achieve his goals, no matter how many times he falls short.
In fact, his failures have actually helped him learn and grow more than anything else. For example, when he started Space X, he was met with a lot of failures. But he didn’t let that stop him. He kept working hard and learning from his mistakes until he finally achieved his goal of launching a successful rocket into space.
It’s this never-give-up attitude that makes Musk so successful. He knows that failure is part of the process, and he’s not afraid to face it head-on.
Get the inspiration and make yourself an entrepreneur – Entrepreneurial Mindset Examples: 27 Traits of Entrepreneurs
Take Away
Each of these famous failures have a unique story to tell, and there’s a lot you can learn from them.
Perhaps the most essential lesson from their stories is the importance of a growth mindset. Every person in this list re-iterates that it’s important to not be afraid to make mistakes. You don’t have to be an expert when you first start something. Just try, see what happens and work hard. This growth mindset will come in handy especially if you want to become successful in any aspect of life.
Moreover, these stories demonstrate that failure is just part of the journey. It’s perfectly normal for you to fail time and time again as you chase your goals, but as long as you stick with it and don’t give up, eventually, success will come your way. After all, each of these inspirational figures failed multiple times before finally experiencing success.
Reference-
- 48 Famous Failures Who Will Inspire You to Achieve
- 10 People Who Became Wildly Successful After Facing Rejection
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