If you’re feeling less-than-motivated today, take a look at the people who felt just like you do right now, but who persevered until they succeeded.

Katy Perry

You might look at Ms Perry and wonder how she got to where she is today, but did you know that before she was kissing girls and liking it, Katy was dropped by three music labels? Perry originally tried to make it as both a gospel singer and the lead of a band called The Matrix.

J.K. Rowling

Before the world was waving their invisible wands and shouting ‘wingardium leviosa’, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter was rejected by all 12 of the major publishers. It was eventually accepted by Bloomsbury, a small publishing house, which printed only 1000 copies of the first Harry Potter book.

The book went on to win multiple awards, making way for six more books in the series and cementing Rowling’s career as the UK’s most successful female author.

Walt Disney

When Walt Disney dreamed of creating a feature-length animated production, the movie industry was understandably sceptical. After all, who would want to sit through 90 minutes of animation? It simply hadn’t been done before. However, Disney believed that his production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs would be a success and open new possibilities for animation studios.

However, when the project almost bankrupted his company, Walt Disney almost had to admit defeat and took some time out in Europe to regroup. He returned to the USA more motivated and inspired than ever, and continued with production.

Snow White premiered in 1937 and remained the most profitable film on record for many decades.

Vera Wang

Vera Wang is living proof that it’s never too late to follow your dream career path. She originally started out as a hopeful Olympic ice-skater. However, when she was unsuccessful in making the 1968 US Olympic figure-skating team, she went onto become editor at Vogue but didn’t make the cut for editor-in-chief.

It wasn’t until age 40 that Vera Wang started designing wedding dresses and became the major fashion icon that she is today.

Fred Astaire

Fred’s first failure is evidence that talent is very much subjective and opinions don’t define you. During one of his first screen tests, it was claimed that Fred Astaire ‘Can’t sing. Can’t act. Slightly balding. Can dance a little.’

This one opinion didn’t stop Astaire from going on to become a star in Hollywood and on Broadway.

So there you have it; don't let anyone tell you that you can't do something. Stay motivated - you can't fail if you never stop trying!

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