5 Famous People Who Learned From Failure by Rona Cherry l Celebs That Overcome Failure l Celebs Who Were Broke

When we’re in grade school, we’re taught to be afraid of failure - an “F” on the report card is a mark of shame and ignominy. We learn that failure should be avoided at all costs, and that notion can stick with us for the rest of our lives. Yet, in today’s unsettled economic times, there’s hardly a successful person - whether a businessman, scientist, artist, entrepreneur, or public figure - who hasn’t lost a job, failed to land a coveted one, or experienced a broken dream.

Worse, the fear of failure often holds us back from taking a chance or trying something new. But it’s important to try new things and not be afraid to fail. For most people, the climb up the ladder of success is riddled with stress, adversity and self-doubt. But as the following individuals illustrate, failures can teach us valuable lessons to help us grow and eventually achieve success. What’s most important is never to give up.

J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling is one of the richest women in the world with a net worth of about $1 billion. But before publishing her first book, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone,” she experienced personal failure on an epic scale. Not only had her marriage failed, but she was a single mother on welfare. When she finished her first Potter manuscript, it was sent to 12 publishing houses, all of which rejected the book. A year later, Rowling found a publisher, but was advised to get a day job since she probably wouldn’t make money in children’s books. But that didn’t stop her. She ultimately wrote seven books in the series and gained a worldwide following. She says, “Failure taught me things about myself that I could have learned no other way. I discovered that I had a strong will, and more discipline than I had suspected.”

Joe Torre

Joe Torre, who managed the New York Yankees to four World Series titles and six pennants, was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame this July. At the induction ceremony, Torre talked about how he’d been fired as major league manager three different times - from the New York Mets, Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals - before he was given the opportunity to manage the Yankees. “After I was fired by the Braves, I was very depressed,” he said. But he soon realized, “the only way you are going to learn is by experiencing setbacks.” He told the audience that it’s important to learn from failures, then “get yourself up, dust yourself off, and move on.” After twelve seasons as Yankees manager, and three with the Los Angeles Dodgers, he now is Major League Baseball’s Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations.

Steven Spielberg

Feeling miserable because you or your child didn’t get into the college of choice? It happens to the best of us—including filmmaker Steven Spielberg. From the time he was a child, Spielberg was interested in movies, even making a nine minute film at age 12 to earn his Boy Scout photography badge. He wanted to attend the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, but due to poor grades in high school he was rejected by the school three times. Undeterred, he went to Universal Studios and got some work around the set. At one point he filmed a short called Amblin, which was finally reviewed by Universal executives. They were so impressed they offered him a contract. Since then, Spielberg has directed more than 50 films, won three Oscars and Forbes has put his net worth at $3 billion. His message, “Failure is inevitable. Success is elusive.”

Milton S. Hershey

Almost every child in this country has eaten a Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bar, a Hershey’s Kiss or a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. But did you know that the entrepreneur who made it possible for us to enjoy these treats, Milton S. Hershey, overcame the failure of his first two candy businesses? Discouraged, but not defeated, he returned to his Lancaster, PA hometown but found himself shunned by most of his relatives who viewed him as an irresponsible drifter. However, Hershey was undeterred. He started another candy business, the Lancaster Caramel Company, and made chewy caramels using fresh milk. This time he succeeded and soon he was shipping his “Crystal A Caramels” throughout the U.S. and Europe. That gave him enough money to make semisweet and milk chocolate and to launch his namesake company in 1894.