Connect with us

Strive Stories

11 MOTIVATIONAL STORIES TO HELP YOU KEEP MOVING FORWARD

Published

on

Motivational Stories

It’s a fact, success eludes most people (at least at first).  And chances are high it’s even eluded you once or twice too. This initial elusiveness of success is the reason we’ve pulled together this collection of motivational stories for you. Our aim is to convince you that success won’t evade you forever. Especially if you decide to press on and stay the course no matter what.

We know success is elusive for everyone. At least it is initially.   Success is tricky, it evades, dodges, and ducks away from just about every single person who pursues her. And this is especially the case early in the chase.

The great news is, that success can be found and captured. But, it is only done so by the truly committed. These “lucky few” eventually reach their aim because they discover the qualities that must be possessed before they can win the game. Qualities such as high effort, courage, and self-discipline.

But most importantly, they’ll discover success because they learn how to master the most difficult success quality of them all. Which is, believe it or not… staying power.

Staying power; otherwise known as determined persistence and never giving in, is what helps people reach their eventual destination.

There’s No Magic Pill

Now, if there were a magic pill we could give you to help you become a human battering ram, the type of battering ram that hammers away on the doors of success until it gets through, we’d give it to you.  But, no such pill exists.

However, what we can give you is a few motivational stories to inspire a stronger belief that you can succeed, if you will but persist. And that’s what we have here for you today friend.  11 short motivational stories to help you strengthen your staying power. 11 stories to help you reach your goals and win.

So, if you want to give those doors of success a real scare, read these 11 motivational stories about striving with the utmost care.

BEST MOTIVATIONAL STORIES

Best Motivational Stories

1. Paulo Coelho

When ‘The Alchemist’ was first published some 30 some years ago, no one noticed. A bookseller in the northeast corner of the country told the author, Paulo Coelho, that only one person purchased a copy during that first week when it was released.  Un-phased by the silent reception, Paulo Coelho confidently waited for those next few sales to come in.  And he would wait a long time too, as it took six more months before his second copy was sold—and it was sold to the exact same person who bought the first!

By the end of that first year, Paulo Coelho’s publisher lost hope in his book and so decided to cancel his contract and cut him loose.

But, Paulo Coelho didn’t let that demoralizing rejection paralyze him.  Instead of quitting like many would at this point, he decided to be steadfast, and continued to pursue his vision.  So, he looked for another publisher.  He looked, and looked, and looked until he finally found one.  And with it, he found his second chance.

Once his book was published again, it slowly started to sell by word of mouth.  His persistence started to pay off, as he eventually sold three thousand books, then six, then ten.  Month over month year over year his book sales started to grow.  And now… ‘The Alchemist’ has sold over 150 million copies across the world.

It’s a good thing Paulo Coelho had staying power.  Had he quit, he wouldn’t be who he is today, a literary legend.

2. Michael Jordan

Most people don’t know this, but when Michael Jordan was a sophomore in high school, he was eager to prove himself as a great basketball player.  As such, he tried out for the Varsity squad.    But guess what?  Things didn’t go as planned.  Jordan got cut from the team.

Considering he had such big dreams as a star basketball player, that rejection hit him really hard.  In fact, it hit him so hard that he went home, locked himself in his room, and cried.

Now Jordan cried, cried, and cried, but he didn’t quit.  He picked himself up and decided to at least crush it on the JV squad.  And crush it he did.  He also decided to train his ass off in the off season.  He even grew four inches.  And then that next year, Michael Jordan did what all winners do….he tried again.

This time, however, he made the team, and quickly became the school’s best player.  By the time he was a senior, he made the McDonalds’ All-American team.  Then he went off to play in college…and the rest is history.

Michael Jordan didn’t quit.  Instead he transformed his failure into fuel for future success.  He then used that fuel to become “The Michael Jordan”.  The man who would score 32,292 points in his basketball career, acquire 6 NBA championships, collect 5 MVP titles, and come to be known to many, as the GOAT (Greatest of all time).

So, the moral of this motivational story is that no, doesn’t mean never.

motivational stories quote - mj

3. Lionel Messi

If you keep up with soccer, then you’ve probably heard of Lionel Messi.  At age of 11, Messi was cut from his soccer team because he was too small.  He was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency which made him much smaller than most kids his age.

However, Messi didn’t let this stop him.  Instead, week after week after week, every day, before going to sleep, he would inject growth hormones into himself.  Messi would do this for seven days in one leg, then seven days in the other, for six long years.

Fortunately, Messi’s foresight and persistence paid off.  Now, he is one of the highest paid soccer players, having a net worth of over 400 million, is considered one of the best soccer players of all time, and has won soccer’s greatest achievement, ‘The Ballon d’Or’ eight times.

Even when it seems nature is against you at first, she bends to those with a strong will who are determined to reach their goals.

4. Steven Pressfield

Steven Pressfield is a professional hero to many, especially authors.  Here’s why….

It took Steven Pressfield 17 years before he made his first dollar as a writer.  He wrote for 27 years before he got his first novel published (The Legend of Bagger Vance).

During that time, Steven worked at 21 different jobs in eleven states.  He taught school, drove tractor-trailers, worked in advertising and as a screenwriter in Hollywood, he worked on offshore oil rigs, and even picked fruit as a migrant worker, but he never gave up.  Sure, he had to go back and work for “the man” from time to time, but he kept his eye on the prize; his dream.

This is why his pursuit of his passion is the epitome of staying power.

Now, Steven is the author of over 21 books and is a source of inspiration for authors and creative people around the world.

Art is war, and so is finding success in general.  So, if your dreams are slow to come don’t lose heart, just remember Steven Pressfield, and be willing to fight long and hard for your art.

short motivational stories - steven pressfield

5. Steven Spielberg

Steven Spielberg’s journey to becoming well, Steven Spielberg is a fantastic motivational story. Here’s why, Spielberg was rejected from USC film school three times. But that didn’t stop him, instead, he just tried a different school.  He applied to Cal State, Long Beach, and got into their film program.  And while still a student a Cal State, he landed an unpaid internship at Universal Studios.  It was a fortuitous gig that soon led his dropping out.  It was a calculated move that would allow him to rub elbows with movie makers at Universal Studios to shortening his path to fulfilling his dream.

Unfortunately, his internship didn’t last long enough for him to break into the movie business like he had planned.  But, undeterred, Steven would still sneak in to the studios, pretending to work there so he could learn more about movies until he could catch his break.

Legend has it, that he had an 8 mm film that he knew the studio executives would love, if only they would watch it.  He found a way to get it into their hands, but they flip flopped on him, and then said they would only watch it if he shot it on a 16-mm film.  So, Steven went out and rented a 16-mm camera and reshot the whole movie.  When he brought it back to the executives, they told him not to come back until it was on a 35-mm film.  Undeterred, he jumped through their hoops and reshot the movie on the 35-mm film.

Finally, the executives decided to relent and gave his movie a look.  And the rest is history.  The movie went on to win a prize at the Atlanta film festival and helped Steven lock in a 7-year contract directing movies with Universal.

No doubt, If you keep looking for your break, the day will come when you find it.

6. Stephen King

Before he was the king of horror, Stephen King was essentially a starving artist. Money was so scarce in his early writing days, that he and his wife had to live in a trailer, couldn’t afford a telephone, had to borrow clothes for their wedding, and worked multiple jobs to support their family and keep the lights on.

But, the pull of his dream to write was greater that his economic plight.

On top of the financial challenges Stephen King faced, he, like most authors, experienced lots of rejection.  In fact, he received 60 rejections before selling his first story, “The Glass Floor” for a measly $35.  But, he kept on writing, striving, and struggling, until he eventually sold his next story.  And fortunately, his next story would set him up to write full-time, forever.  What was the name of that book?  “Carrie”.

Having published over 200 short stories, 58 novels, and selling over 350 million copies, Stephen King is not just the king of horror, he’s also the king of staying power.

motivational story quote stephen king

7. Walt Disney

Everyone knows who this legend is.  But, did you know before Walt Disney was “The Walt Disney”, he had once been fired because his boss thought he lacked imagination and had no good ideas?

We know, it’s crazy to think that he would ever be considered the opposite of what he ended up being so great at.

Fortunately, Walt Disney didn’t listen to his critics, and pressed on to create his own cartoon animation company.  Now, just because he pressed on doesn’t mean he hit it big right away.  He would go on to experience a few additional failures along the way (along with few small successes), but ultimately, he kept on pressing forward, innovating, and improving on his love for animation.

And, well…he eventually smashed through those doors of success and went on to become the creator of the household name that we’ve all come to know and love.

Truly, every success, at some time or another, has had to learn how to believe in themselves when no one else on this big blue planet is willing to hold the same belief.  And the chances are high you’ll have to do the same.

So, when someone tries to halt your vision, just remember good ole Walt Disney.  Ignore your critics, believe in yourself, and get yourself back into the game.

8. Jack Canfield & MVH

The authors of the now famous ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ series of books faced massive obstacles when first starting out.  Some publishers said their books would never sell.  Others said that their title was stupid, and that nobody bought collections of short stories.

Undeterred, this dynamic duo went on to reach out to publisher after publisher.  They suffered through 123 rejections before things started to look up for them.

Fortunately, they didn’t take no for an answer, because they eventually found stratospheric success with their books, and as a result have sold over 500 million books across the world.

Now Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen (MVH) are practically household names.

If it wasn’t for their staying power and dogged perseverance, they never would have become the founders of one of the most successful publishing franchises in the world today.

jack canfield motivational stories quote

9. Howard Shultz

Thanks to the persistence and tenacity of Howard, today we can enjoy a delicious Starbucks coffee as we work at our computers in just about every city in the United States of America.

Most people don’t know this, but when Howard Shultz was just starting out, he was finding it very difficult to convince investors to write him a check.   It would take more than 214 rejections before he found someone who believed in his idea enough to help him fund it.

Now that’s staying power.  But that’s not all.  In it’s infancy, his company also incurred losses for three straight years.  And on one of those early years, 1989 to be exact, he incurred more than $1 million in losses alone.

Fortunately, he managed to stick with his goal, and completely turned his company around and into one of the strongest brands on the planet. Had he not remained determined to reach his goals, he never would have.

Howard Shultz is now a legend, and his efforts have made his pursuit a classic motivational story that everyone should know about.

10. Robert Kiyosaki

The man behind the extremely successful ‘Rich Dad Poor Dad’ brand, Robert Kiyosaki is a prime example of persistence in action.

His first business sold those cool looking velcro wallet’s that were all the rage in the 80’s.  Unfortunately, he didn’t protect his product with patents and eventually went bankrupt after competitors snatched up most of his market share.

But he persisted, and soon after went on to start another company that sold licensed apparel for heavy metal bands, unfortunately, that company would eventually flounder as well.

He kept pressing forward though, seeking his one-way ticket out of the rat race.    While working for the Xerox company to pay the bills, he kept striving to build a business.  Eventually, he found success when his first financial education company took off.  Soon after, he then sold that company and leveraged his new-found wealth to become the wealth guru and best-selling author he is today.

Robert Kiyosaki didn’t know ‘the how’, because hardly any of us do.  But, he knew ‘the where’.  He knew where he wanted to go, and kept moving forward, failure after failure until he got there.

motivational stories about goals

11. Steve Harvey

Steve Harvey, the now famous American television presenter, comedian, actor, author, and game show host has a great motivational story. Harvey was once a struggling, starving artist. And before he would become the famous host of ‘Family Feud’, and essentially a household name, he had to conquer many obstacles first.

In Harvey’s early days, when he was just in grade school, after being asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, he shared with his teacher and his entire class that he wanted to be on T.V. After speaking about his dreams, his teacher lambasted him, and assured him that he would never make it on Television. His teacher told him that his dream was impossible because no one in his community ever made it on T.V… Nor would he make it in the show business because he had a speech impediment.

But, Harvey didn’t let his teacher dismantle his dream. No, he would strive and struggle to make a name for himself after getting out of school. And for nearly 12 years after he turned 18, he would do small stand up comedy gigs, and local shows to break into show biz.

Interestingly, on the day he was considering giving up, instead of calling his dad to tell him he quit, he called an answering machine his parents set up for him for anyone who was looking to get in touch with him. And on that answering machine was a message from the Apollo Comedy Club inviting him to come on to their show.

Delighted by the invitation, Harvey pounced on the opportunity. And once he got on T.V., he never looked back. Steve Harvey has been on T.V. ever since.

motivational story about steve harvey

Bonus Motivational Story:

Here’s one last and final motivational story. It is one that you may already be familiar with as they made a movie about it. This story is about about Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger, a 5 foot 6 inch man who dreamed of playing football for Notre Dame.

Rudy was dyslexic, undersized, and wasn’t gifted with the exceptional speed or strength that’s typically found amongst many other football players. He didn’t receive any scholarships to play football, nor was he invited to play anywhere, but he stayed true to his dream, so he walked-on to the team.

As a member of the scout team, he tried and tried again to make the official team, striving to do whatever it took to suite up in the blue and gold and enter the arena as a Fighting Irish football player.

He would go on to struggle for four long years. He would pour his heart into each practice, giving each one his full effort, all for one single moment. Rudy poured his soul into everything he did, and he did it for one single opportunity to get on to the field and play.

His grit and dedication to reaching his life’s goal of getting on that field inspired his entire team, community, and thousands of Fighting Irish fans. Rudy’s determination, heart, and commitment to never quitting helped him finally fulfill his dream of playing for the Fighting Irish.

On the last three plays of the last game of the season, Rudy finally got his shot. His coach put him in with very little time left on the clock, but Rudy seized his moment of glory. And on the final play of the game, Rudy sacked the quarterback.

Rudy’s persistence, dogged determination, and commitment to his dream, led him to becoming the first player in Notre Dame history to ever get carried off the field by his teammates.

motivational story quote by Rudy

Related: Keep Moving Forward Quotes

Final Thoughts

The key takeaways from these motivational stories is the following: No does not mean never, and the struggle won’t last forever, but if you lack staying power, success will inevitably evade you altogether.

The road to success is filled with no’s, rejections, mishaps and failures along the way.  But, despite all the obstacles, if you want to achieve your aims, you must decide to keep going every single day.

So, if you’ve learned anything from these motivational stories we hope it is this:  That there are only two rules when it comes to success.  Rule number one, never give up.  Rule number two, never forget rule number one.

Till next time,

STRIVE

PS – If you enjoyed these motivational stories about goals and achieving your dreams, and you’re looking for some more inspiration, then you’ll love these other powerful success stories that we’ve pulled together. But, if you’re just looking for some additional motivation, then you’ll these awesome quotes on motivation for winning will do the trick.

The STRIVE is on a mission to inspire and uplift 1 billion people by 2032. Our primary aim is to help as many people as possible believe in the uncommon thought, that they can be more than they are, do more than they've done, and achieve more prosperity than they've ever dreamed possible. Let's achieve the impossible together.

Strive Stories

THE MARK CUBAN SUCCESS STORY

Published

on

Mark Cuban Success Story

There is no question that Mark Cuban has achieved great success in his life. He is a self-made billionaire, and he has turned his passion for business into a successful career. But how did he do it? Certainly, it wasn’t easy. It took him years of hard work and determination to achieve his goal of becoming a billionaire, but in the end, he did it.

“It Doesn’t Matter How Many Times You Fail. You Only Have To Be Right Once And Then Everyone Can Tell You You’re An Overnight Success.”

– mark cuban –

That said, we believe success leaves clues, so we’ve decided to explore Mark Cuban’s story of success to see what his journey to the top reveals. As such, in this article, we will explore how Mark Cuban got started with business and what his first big break was that propelled him into stardom. We will also look at some of the challenges he faced along the way, and some of the clever ways he overcame them. So, if you’re ready to learn form this iconic entrepreneur and investor, let’s dive right in:

THE MARK CUBAN STORY OF SUCCESS

mark cuban story

How Mark Cuban Got Started With Business

Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Mark was the son of a working-class family that wasn’t always supportive of his aspirations. Despite a mother who was worried about her son’s professional options, Mark proved he had a knack for entrepreneurship by collecting coins, stamps, and baseball cards, and striving to profit off of them. He was undeniably a hard worker from an early age, and he credits much of his success to his drive and work ethic.

When Mark Cuban was in high school, he had a dream of becoming an entrepreneur. He started out selling garbage bags door to door and clearly had a knack for business. After high school, he attended Indiana University, focusing on business administration.

When in college, he made a bold move and decided to buy a local bar for the price of $15,000. He used his business skills to turn the bar around and make a profit, making it one of the most popular college student hangouts in the town. This was his first big break in the business world, and it showed him that he could be successful if he put in the hard work.

The Challenges of Becoming an Entrepreneur

Of course, no journey is without its challenges. And for Mark Cuban, there were plenty of them. After struggling to secure a career after college, he decided to go out on his own and start Broadcast.com with a fellow friend and alumni, Todd Wagner, which was an online video and streaming platform. He used the proceeds from the sale of his first technology company, MicroSolutions, to fund this endeavor. 

He struggled to make ends meet as he poured money into his business without seeing any return for quite some time. But by taking risks and pushing himself outside of his comfort zone, Mark Cuban finally started making some headway.

The idea of streaming was quite new in the year 1995, and many people doubted its potential. Critics and naysayers said it was redundant since there was already access to television and radio. However, Cuban and Wagner had a vision that streaming platforms would eventually overtake traditional media channels.

The company grew and was acquired by Yahoo for $5.7 billion in 1999, which gave Cuban his first taste of major success as an entrepreneur. This was a defining moment for Mark Cuban, as he became a self-made billionaire at the young age of 41. It also made him one of the richest people in America.

The Turning Point

Being able to leverage such a large deal with Yahoo allowed Cuban to start investing in other businesses and expand his portfolio. He started acquiring companies like HDNet, the Landmark Theater Chain, and various online publications.

But it was his investment in the Dallas Mavericks that turned out to be his most successful venture yet. In 2000, he purchased the team for $285 million when it was on the brink of bankruptcy.

Mark Cuban Story on Success

He has since turned the team around and made it one of the most successful in the NBA. As a result, Mark Cuban’s net worth has grown an estimated $5.7 billion. Mark states that it had never crossed his mind that the Mavericks were a business investment and that the profits were a natural progression from following his passions and interests.

He then joined the Shark Tank TV show in 2011, which was what propelled him into stardom. He became one of the most successful investors on the show and has invested in more than 85 different companies through Shark Tank. In addition to this, he has also been a consistent fan favorite and continues to appear on the show every season.

Clearly, Mark Cuban is a testament to the saying “hard work pays off.” He is living proof that if you have a dream and are willing to put in the hard work, anything is possible. Each incremental step he took in his career was a stepping stone to the next opportunity.

“I Do (Shark Tank) Because It Sends the Message to Kids and Entrepreneurs of All Ages That if Somebody From a Small-time Town in Idaho or North Carolina Can Find Their Way Onto the Carpet to Pitch to the Sharks, Then Anybody Can.” – Mark Cuban

Mark Cuban Success Insights

Mark Cuban’s background in the ever-changing field of technology has taught him to value education above all else. From watching tutorials to listening to podcasts to reading books, to talking with top experts, he has a voracious appetite for learning.

In order to be successful in business, Cuban also believes that you need to take risks and put yourself out there. He’s not afraid of failure and knows that it’s an important part of the learning process.

He uses a competitive metaphor to remind himself and others how important it is to give your all and stay consistent in your dedication to your dreams. In the world of technology and business, innovations are constantly happening and the only way to stay ahead of the curve is to always be learning.

He also believes that time is more valuable than money, so it is of the utmost importance to be mindful of how you’re spending it. Spiraling out because of failure, delaying action because of fear, or wasting time on things that don’t matter are all habits that Cuban has learned to avoid.

Lastly, Cuban stresses the importance of networking and building relationships. He knows that nobody is truly self-made and relies on his network of friends, mentors, family members when he needs advice or help in any situation. He has strategically built a network that he knows will help him every step of the way and aligns with colleagues that he trusts and respects.

Success In His Own Words

That said, Mark Cuban has offered at handful of tips and success insights over the years in interviews, published articles, etc. So, if you’re interested in some of his best advice when it comes to success, you’ll enjoy these quotes:

1. “The key to being successful and achieving your dreams no matter what they are, is finding something you really really like to do, and being great at it.” – Mark Cuban

2. “The only thing in your control is effort. That’s all, and that’s everything.” – Mark Cuban

3. “I wouldn’t be where I am now if I didn’t fail a lot. The good, the bad, it’s all part of the success equation.” – Mark Cuban

4. “How wisely you use your time will have far more impact on your life and success than any amount of money.” – Mark Cuban

5. “It’s not about money or connections — It’s the willingness to outwork and outlearn everyone when it comes to your business. And if it fails, you learn from what happened and do a better job next time.” – Mark Cuban

Related: Mark Cuban Quotes

More Billionaire Success Advice

The success insights just mentioned above only offer a solid glimpse on what has helped Mark Cuban achieve the success he now enjoys. Of course, there is so much more to his success that meets the eye, but this brutally honest mashup of Mark Cuban interviews provides clear instruction to aspiring entrepreneurs and would-be billionaires.

So, if you’re hungry for some additional success advice from a billionaire, then you’ll want to watch this short video:

Video Credit: Motiversity (Subscribe Here)

Final Thoughts

The Mark Cuban success story is one of grit, determination, and hard work. He has faced plenty of challenges throughout his career, but he has never given up.

By being passionate about what he does and continuously pushing himself outside of his comfort zone, Cuban has become one of the most successful entrepreneurs in America. And there’s no telling what he’ll accomplish next.

That said, we hope this Mark Cuban story provided you with a few practical insights that you can now leverage to go out and achieve the success you seek.

Till you reach your aims,

STRIVE

PS – If you enjoyed our Mark Cuban Story, then you’ll likely enjoy this powerful collection of rags to riches stories.

Continue Reading

Strive Stories

THE GRANT CARDONE STORY

Published

on

grant cardone story of success

Grant Cardone is a prominent international businessman, speaker, and owner of Cardone Capital, a $5 billion investment firm.  Cardone is also the author of the New York Times bestselling book If You’re Not First, You’re Last, and other notable books like The 10X Rule, and Axiom Award winning Sell or Be Sold.  In addition to this, he is also the founder of Cardone University, a popular sales training platform that has accrued over 50,000,000 users and continues to grow to this day.  So, considering Grant Cardone’s list of impressive achievements, we will be diving into how this success superstar came to be in this Grant Cardone Story of Success.

“Average is a Failing Formula.”

They say success leaves clues, and we believe it.  Which is why we cover uber-successful people like Grant Cardone.  We also chose Grant Cardone because he has a great rags to riches story to boot. 

In addition to this, we also believe every story possesses hidden insights that can teach us, guide us, and benefit us in incredible ways.  So, with that being said, if you’re ready to learn how Grant Cardone became an above average person let’s dive in.

THE GRANT CARDONE STORY

grant cardone story

Growing Pains | Grant Cardone Success Story

Grant Cardone grew up in a little town called Lake Charles in the state of Louisiana.   He and his twin brother were the youngest out of five children.  Cardone lost his father at the age of 10, and his mother, with no education or work experience, had to support 5 children alone. It was a combination that led to very slim prospects for Grant’s success growing up.  Fortunately, his mother found a way to make it work. Needless to say, Cardone grew up poor, and in an environment that was less than ideal.

And it was this environment, and the trauma he faced from losing his father early in life, and his oldest brother a few years later, that led him towards a self-destructive and downward spiraling path.  And so, from the age of 15 to 25, Cardone found himself in bad company, making bad decisions, and addicted to drugs.

However, there was one traumatic event that would act as a catalyst for reversing the direction of his life.  And this event would occur one rainy night when Cardone was walking home.  While walking home, a friend of his orchestrated a robbery at gunpoint against him.

And in his attempts to fight off the armed robber, Cardone was severely beaten with a pistol and left for dead.  Cardone ended up in the hospital for three days and would need over 70 stiches.  The robbery had damaged his face so severely that when his mother came to visit, she couldn’t even recognize him.  

This experience was a major turning point for Cardone.  But the final straw that would see Cardone check himself into a rehab center was the day his mother kicked him out of her house.

Turning Point

Grant Cardone was 25 years old when he finally decided to clean his life up.  After he got out of rehab, Cardone committed to living a sober life in pursuit of his potential.  And even though he felt like a loser at the time, he knew, deep down inside, that he was meant to do more with his life. 

As such, upon his release from rehab he chose to cut out all negative influences from his life.  He stopped hanging around his drug addict friends, he stayed away from his enemies, and all those negative influences and environments that in the past kept him going back to the comfort of drugs like clockwork.

The Struggle

Now after deciding to turn his life around things didn’t automatically become full of sunshine and rainbows for Cardone.  He still had to find an avenue to pursue his potential.  Cardone had his degree in accounting, but such jobs were limited at the time.  And, with the economy being slow with unemployment at 24%, Cardone didn’t have the luxury of being selective.

“What’s Crazy Is The Thing I Hated Became The Gateway To The Rest Of My Life”

– grant cardone –

As such, he landed a job as a car salesperson, even though he detested the decision, because he had an accounting degree.   However, he took some advice he got from his mother early on and applied it to his situation.   And the advice was this…  “An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.”

As such, he got to work learning as much as he possibly could about selling, how to influence people, along with everything there was to know about the automobile industry. 

After he saw his income double from $3,000 to $6,000 per month, he knew he figured out one of the most powerful tools for becoming successful, applied knowledge.  And, through that effort and investment in knowledge, Grant Cardone eventually became one of the best car salesmen in the country.

Towards Becoming Self-Made

Cardone’s success within the industry would skyrocket. Eventually, the owner of the company fired him for trying to do the right thing when he informed him that another salesperson was stealing from him. 

Grant Cardone Story Quote

But Cardone didn’t let this setback diminish his enthusiasm or momentum.  Instead, he decided to never become dependent on another person or company again. 

As such, he started his own sales consulting business, and began aggressively selling his sales strategies across the country.  And shortly thereafter, Cardone paved a way for himself as a self-made man.

Related: Motivational Grant Cardone Quotes

Success Ethos | Grant Cardone Story

Grant Cardone’s business took off, and his businesses were doing so well that he eventually became a millionaire by the age of 30.    But he didn’t become a millionaire just because his businesses were earning large amounts of income. 

The truth is, nobody automatically becomes a millionaire just because they have an income or a business. Grant Cardone became a millionaire by disciplining his money and fostering a millionaire mindset.

Essentially, every time he paid himself from his business’s earnings, he would consider himself “broke” immediately after, because he’d set all his extra money aside. He accumulated vast sums of money, and then used that money as down payments for investments, primarily in the form of real estate.

Cardone would do this for years, until his assets topped a million dollars.  And it is this same simple process that he uses to this day, which has helped him achieve more than a billion dollars in his investment ventures.  He strives to make as much money as he can, so he can invest as much as he can to build an investment empire, it’s that simple.

Success In His Own Words

With that being said, our Grant Cardone story wouldn’t be complete without a few wise words from the man himself. As such, here are a few supporting Cardone Quotes to help sum up his success ethos so you can follow suit:

1. “An Investment in Knowledge Always Pays The Best Interest.” – Grant Cardone

2. “Until you become completely obsessed with your mission, no one will take you seriously. Until the world understands that you’re not going away—that you are 100 percent committed and have complete and utter conviction and will persist in pursuing your project—you will not get the attention you need and the support you want.” – Grant Cardone

3. “Every time I get money, I go broke again because I shove it into this real estate thing [Cardone Acquisitions].” – Grant Cardone

4. “Cashflow is not bragging rights. It’s financial freedom.” – Grant Cardone

5. “Rich people don’t get rich by accident and poor people don’t stay poor by accident.” – Grant Cardone

But don’t just take our word for it. Watch the excellent video below. In the video he explains how he built up his massive net worth. In addition to this, he demonstrates how anyone can do the same to become a millionaire.

So, give it a watch, as it sums up his success ethos very succinctly.

Video Credit: Grant Cardone (Subscribe Here)

Related: Grant Cardone Net Worth

Conclusion

There you have it, the Grant Cardone story that describes his journey from being a poor kid from Louisiana, to barely surviving as a drug addict, to then making the most of his situation to rise to superstardom as one of the top motivational leaders internationally.

Grant now owns multiple businesses like Cardone Capital, Cardone Acquisitions, Cardone Training Technologies, Cardone University, Cardone TV, and many more.

We’ve uncovered the success ethos that has guided Cardone in creating the massive success and wealth he now enjoys. Here they are again as a recap to answer the question about how Grant Cardone became successful:

Obsession with Success | Self-DevelopmentInvesting Every Extra Dollar Into Assets

Now go forth and apply the Grant Cardone success insights you’ve just gained to help you improve your life.  And remember…

Grant Cardone Story Quote

So, don’t doubt that by doing so, you can and will eventually become a self-reliant and a self-made millionaire, just like Grant Cardone.

Till next time,

STRIVE

PS – If you enjoyed our Grant Cardone success story, then you’ll love this collection of short but encouraging success stories.

Continue Reading

Strive Stories

THE SYLVESTER STALLONE SUCCESS STORY

Published

on

Sylvester Stallone Success Story

Sylvester Stallone has been one of the most recognized names in Hollywood over the past four decades. And it all started with a simple story of a down and out dock worker named Rocky. A nobody who was given an opportunity of a lifetime and seized it.

“It’s All About Dreams.  Dreams Cost Nothing, They Are Free.”

– Sylvester Stallone –

Since then, Sylvester Stallone, and his series of movies revolving around Rocky have been inspiring people all around the world.  Not surprisingly, Sylvester Stallone’s real life story is every bit as motivating and inspiring as the fictional Rocky character he created.  As you’ll soon see, Sylvester Stallone’s life story is also a success story.

His success story is one that should be observed, retold, and shared, just as much as his movies are. Why? Because success leaves clues.  So, that’s what we intend to do in this post today; share his inspiring rags to riches story and hope you takeaway something to help you create your own success story.

With that being said, let’s dive in…

THE SYLVESTER STALLONE STORY OF SUCCESS

Sylvester Stallone Story of Success

Most people don’t know this about Sylvester Stallone, but he had a dream as a young man to become a big movie star in Hollywood.  He longed to become a great director, producer, and writer.   But of course, everyone told him it could not be done.  But, he wasn’t one to take no for an answer. And after finding little luck in the New York’s films scene, he decided to try his chances in Los Angeles.

As luck would have it, his life in Los Angeles was not all sunshine and rainbows.  He struggled and strived for a few years in Los Angeles as well.  At one point, things got so bad and he was so short on money that he had to take his wife’s jewelry, and sell it without her permission just to make a few extra dollars. 

He even went through a short period of homelessness, spending a few nights sleeping on the floor of a bus station.  But the worst of his dire straits would be when he had to sell his dog because he could barely keep him fed. 

Struggle was a way of life for Sylvester Stallone for many years.  But he was willing to suffer through barely making ends meet , so long as he could keep taking shots at roles, regardless of the size.  He was willing to go through hell so long as there was the potential to fulfill his dream of making it in Hollywood. 

“Life Is An Opponent That Never Stops Punching, So You Better Never Stop Punching Back.”

– sylvester stallone –

The Inspiration Behind The Inspiration

Fortunately, his trials and tribulations would not last forever.  One day after witnessing a boxing match between a virtually no-name boxer (his name was actually Chuck Wepner) who went head to head with the greatest of all time, Muhammad Ali, a brilliant idea came to him.  

It is said, that after he watched this man take on the champ Ali, even knocking him down at one point, and almost going the entire distance of the fight with him, he became inspired by what he felt was a metaphor for life. 

In fact, he became so inspired by what he saw, that when he got back home from the fight, he locked himself up in his 8ft x9ft apartment for over three days straight.  And when he finally came out of his apartment, he had completed the script that would eventually come to be known as ‘Rocky’.

One Shot, One Opportunity

But just having that script in hand didn’t mean he was fated to overnight success.  No, there were still more obstacles that had to be overcome.  The script was written, but Sylvester didn’t yet have a backer/producer for it. 

However, his big opportunity would crystalize after wrapping up a casting call for a film he was auditioning for. A film that was being directed and produced by two notable film makers Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler.  Now, he didn’t make the cut during that audition. But, before leaving the set that night he seized his moment while having conversation with Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler. And it was during that conversation that he boldly mentioned his interests in writing along with some of his ideas to the film producers. 

As fate would have it, they became intrigued enough in what he was saying, that they invited him to stop by their office at a later time so they could learn more about him and his ideas.  And as they say…the rest is history.

Nothing’s Over Till It’s Over

Sylvester Stallone’s script one over the two film makers, and they decided they would buy the script from him so they could make it into a movie.  They offered Sylvester Stallone upwards of $300,000, which was the most money he had ever been offered, let alone seen at that time.  But, he knew that if his script would become a success, he would forever regret not going for the lead role.  So, he made it a point to star in his own film, realizing that this would be his true shot at achieving success. 

So, after much negotiating, he would eventually decline upwards of $360,000 for the sale of his script alone.   He eventually won out in his negotiations and sold his script for $25,000, but on the condition that he would get to star in the lead role.

Success Ethos

Sylvester Stallone’s calculated risk to forgo what was a huge pay out at the time for his script, has made all the difference in his ultimate success.  The Rocky movie has since gone on to become a smash hit, along with a series of related cascading block buster successes. Successes that Sylvester Stallone proclaims he could have never imagined in wildest dreams.

And it all happened because he had a success ethos of never settling.   It happened because he was willing to embrace the pain and suffering of being without, until his vision was realized.

He was willing to take on the hits of life, and willing to lose it all to strike it big.  And it is because he had a vision of what he wanted, and stuck to it till the end, that he realized his vision, got everything he wanted, and struck it big.  Sylvester Stallone’s now has one of the most sizeable net worth’s in Hollywood, and he is arguably one of the most successful and well-known actors of all time.

Stallone’s Lasting Impact: A Creative Force Beyond Rocky

Sylvester Stallone’s journey didn’t end with Rocky’s triumph. His relentless creativity and ability to evolve have cemented his legacy as a multifaceted artist. Beyond acting, Stallone proved himself a visionary writer and director, crafting stories that resonate globally.

In 1978, he directed and starred in Paradise Alley, a gritty drama about three brothers in 1940s New York, inspired by his own challenging upbringing. Though overshadowed by Rocky, it showcased his knack for authentic storytelling.

Decades later, he created The Expendables (2010–present), a franchise he wrote, directed, and starred in, uniting action icons like Jet Li and Dolph Lundgren to revive the genre for a new era. His directorial work on Creed (2015) earned critical acclaim, proving his storytelling prowess at 69.

Stallone’s creativity extends beyond film. An avid painter, he has showcased his vibrant artwork in galleries like the Russian State Museum, using art to express emotions too raw for the screen. His 2005 book, Sly Moves, outlines his fitness philosophy, blending physical discipline with mental toughness, inspiring fans to adopt his work ethic.

At 78, Stallone continues to innovate, starring in the hit series Tulsa King (2022–present), a modern crime drama that highlights his adaptability. His lesson? Success demands versatility and courage to explore new crafts. So, take a page from Stallone: dedicate time to a passion project outside your comfort zone, like writing or art, to unlock new potential.

That said, his enduring impact shows that true success is about creating a legacy that evolves with time.

Video Credit via Mulligan Brothers

Related: Stallone’s Net Worth

Final Thoughts on Stallone’s Story of Success

The great thing about the Sylvester Stallone success story is that it provides us with hope for what is possible.  It also provides us with a road map of what achieving success, more often than not, looks like. 

So, use his experiences to prepare yourself for what you must do to achieve your dreams.  Let them prepare you for the challenging road ahead. And may they give you hope that the vision you glorify in your mind will come to pass.

sylvester stallone success story

Lastly, allow this story to help you believe that if you push hard enough, and strive long enough, you will eventually win.

Till next time,

STRIVE

PS – If you enjoyed this Success Story, then you’ll also enjoy these inspiring Sylvester Stallone Quotes, or even these extremely Motivational Rocky Quotes

Continue Reading

Strive Stories

THE DAVID GOGGINS SUCCESS STORY

Published

on

David Goggins Story

David Goggins is a former Navy SEAL and USAF Tactical Air Control Party member who served in Afghanistan and Iraq. He is also a world-renowned ultramarathon runner and triathlete. But what makes David so remarkable isn’t just his accomplishments in the military or the fitness world; it’s his incredible story of overcoming adversity.

“Mental Toughness Is A Lifestyle.”

– david goggins –

In this story, we will take a closer look at David’s life story and showcase how he became one of the fittest men on Earth. By understanding the steps he took to become successful, we can better apply his principles to our own lives and hopefully achieve our own slice of greatness.

With that said, if you’re ready to learn about the mindset of one of the hardest men alive, let’s dive right in to this David Goggins Story.

THE DAVID GOGGINS STORY OF SUCCESS

david goggins story of success

How It Began | David Goggins Story

David Goggin’s early life was challenging. He endured a violent and controlling father, a family divorce, and poverty, all by the age of 8 years old. These early adversities ended up manifesting as health problems such as memory and attention issues as well as a stutter.

Despite having a rough home life in his youth, David had longed for a fresh start after he moved to Indiana with his mother and brother. He longed for a place where he felt safe. Nevertheless, Goggins did not anticipate the pain he would suffer during his first days at school, where he would eventually get bullied because of his unique appearance, and because and he didn’t know how to read.

Goggins didn’t appreciate the bullying, and as a result, he began skipping classes in order to escape the ridicule that was constantly lobbed at him by his classmates.

Needless to say, Goggin’s youth was not filled with sunshine and rainbows. It was a very tough and challenging way to grow up. Fortunately, those hardships didn’t break him, and instead made him stronger in the long run.

Once Goggins completed his schooling, he gave the military a shot. Unfortunately, after a failed attempt to join the Air Force’s as an elite pararescue team member due to sickle cell anemia, he became defeated for a very long time. But, Goggins persisted.

Despite the diagnosis, he refused to give up. “I wanted to feel something besides defeat. I wanted to just go the distance,” David said.

Eventually, he made his way into the Air Force, but as part of a different squad. This time around he made the cut to become part of the United States Air Force Tactical Control Party. But after a servicing for 5 years, he left the Air Force.

From a Nobody to a Somebody

After his 5 year stint in the Air Force, David found himself barely able to make ends meet. He worked as an exterminator, ate tons of junk food, and gained lots of weight. David’s life started to spiral in a downward direction and he began living an uninspired life.

Fortunately, David watched a documentary about the Navy SEALS one day, and found something to be inspired by. The challenge of becoming a seal, and having the mental and physical toughness of the program participants, gave David something to aspire towards.

Serendipitously, that show inspired Goggins to want to do more with his life. It inspired him to strive to become something more, something great. He was tired of being a nobody who just watched the lives of other great people on TV.

So, in was in that sudden moment, that he had found the motivation that would help him go on to lose more than 100 pounds in under three months. He discovered a newfound fire and energy. Thus, he channelled his driven to finally get fit and apply for the program.

He reflects that “It made me reflect on my fears, my insecurities. I saw real men who were overcoming adversity.”

Forward March

In order to get in shape, David joined a gym. Despite his intentions, he was unable to run more than a quarter mile on his first day. As a result of his psychological defeat, Goggins returned home crying and turning to food for emotional support.

Despite the minor regression, this man wasn’t the same as the person who was unmotivated to grow.

So, he got back on his proverbial horse and kept moving forward. He began to cycle and heavily restructured and restricted his diet and successfully brought his weight down to be able to apply for the Navy SEALS within 3 months.

The rest, as they say, is history.

The Turning Point

David Goggins held strong to his commitment and entered Navy SEAL training. Despite tremendous progress and growth in the program, he particularly struggled with the infamous “hell week”, an intense week-long training session where SEAL candidates are forced to move with minimal sleep and food.

David Goggins Success Story

Despite failing this grueling week the first time around due to a case of pneumonia, and the second time due to a stress fracture injury, he responded by completing two successful “hell weeks” in the same year. This shattered his limiting beliefs around his performance abilities and further fueled his progress.

This was the lightbulb moment for Goggins where he realized he needed to acquire a strong mental toughness in order to maintain a strong physical toughness. He dedicated himself to training both the body and the mind from this point forward.

His career in the military lasted for two decades and he received the “Top Enlisted Man” award for his efforts.

Related: David Goggins Quotes

Challenges Along the Way

One of the most challenging moments in Goggin’s life was when a helicopter, containing several of Goggins’ close friends inside, crashed during Operation Red Wings in 2005.

He used this devastating tragedy as fuel to drive him further. He raised money by long-distance running and donated the proceeds to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, which grants educational scholarship opportunities to students who had lost their parents in the special operations sector. He has raised over 2 million dollars for charity.

David became an ultra-marathoner as a way to add momentum to his tragedies. The Badwater 135 is a grueling 135-mile run beginning in Death Valley, 282 feet below sea level, and ending at an elevation of 8,374 feet. To add to the excitement, it takes place in July, when Death Valley is at its hottest.

His qualification race was a one-day 100-mile run in San Diego, which he completed in 19 hours with little preparation. Upon finishing, he spent an entire year training for the Badwater 135 as hard as he could. Taking fifth place, he completed it in 30 hours.

He would next face challenges with his personal health. When David’s doctor examined him for a routine checkup in 2010, he found a birth defect called an atrial septal defect. Due to a hole between two of the atrial chambers of the athlete’s heart, the organ wasn’t able to operate at its maximum capacity. He was also struggling with progressive muscle weakness and wasting.

In order to save his life, David began to work intensely on rehabilitating himself. With consistent daily stretching, his body began to heal itself and realign. His heart also had time to restore and grow stronger.

Related: The Warrior Mindset

Lessons Learned

According to Goggins, his success is attributed to his “day one, week one” mentality. Every day he lives as though it was the first day of his new job. According to him, even though this mindset rubs people the wrong way, it works and makes him show up completely and with integrity.

He has also learned to never get comfortable with his accomplishments. He has remained hungry for more and believes that if you don’t continually challenge yourself, then you will never be satisfied with life.

David Goggins states that every day is an opportunity for achievement, and he doesn’t feel complete unless he has strived for that. His discipline is internally motivated, and unshakeable by any external standards. He aims to hold his standards higher than others do in order to achieve what others deem is impossible.

“Never Let People Who Choose The Path Of Least Resistance Steer You Away From Your Chosen Path Of Most Resistance.”

– david goggins –

One of the most important things that David Goggins learned over his years of training and competing is the importance of mental toughness. This was a lesson that he learned early on when he first joined the Navy SEALs, but it has stuck with him throughout his life.

Goggins believes that strength of mind is what sets people apart from each other in their ability to accomplish goals and achieve success.

Related: David Goggins Net Worth

Heavy To Hardcore

If you have a few minutes to spare, here’s a short video that provides additional insight on the mindset that helped David Goggin’s go from being over 300 pounds to becoming a hardcore Navy Seal.

Video Credit: CNBC Make It (Subscribe)

Goggins Pro Tip:

Goggins developed a unique mental strategy called the “Cookie Jar,” where he mentally revisits past accomplishments and hardships to draw strength during moments of extreme challenge, helping him push through ultramarathons and other grueling endeavors.

This concept is detailed in his book ‘Can’t Hurt Me’, and you can apply it to your life today to help you push through some of your toughest life challenges, like Goggins.

Final Thoughts

David Goggins story is an inspiration for all of us who are looking to challenge ourselves mentally and physically, and change our lives in the process. He has now shared his story with many people around the world and has inspired an entire community of individuals to challenge and push themselves to achieve the impossible.

These days, David Goggins also shares his message with people all over the world through his motivational speaking business. His message motivates people to get off their butts and get disciplined. But more importantly, he uses his platform to help people push their limits and become stronger.

david goggins life story quote

With that being said, we hope you learned a few of those strong life lessons from this David Goggins story. Namely, that if you want to achieve our full potential, we have to rid our lives of laziness and stop making excuses for our lot in life.

Till then,

STRIVE

PS – If you enjoyed this David Goggins Story of success and hardcore persistence and overcoming adversity, then you’ll love this inspiring article on the true story of Rudy.

Continue Reading

Strive Stories

THE JIM ROHN STORY OF SUCCESS

Published

on

Jim Rohn Story

Who is Jim Rohn? He was one of the most influential personalities as well as one of the greatest speakers of the late 20th and early 21st century. He was also known to many as America’s foremost business philosopher, and a rags-to-riches multi-millionaire who helped countless others achieve meaningful and significant success in their lives. His heyday in business as an entrepreneur and motivational speaker was in the 80’s and 90’s, whereby he influenced many of the greats of the business and self-development world, like Tony Robbins, Brian Tracy, Jack Canfield, Darren Hardy, and many more.

“We Can Have More Than We’ve Got Because We Can Become More Than We Are.”

– jim rohn –

Not surprisingly, his wisdom and success insights persist to this day. As such, we’ve decided to strengthen his legacy and shine a brighter light on his story and his life-changing wisdom by publishing this Jim Rohn Story of Success.

Every high achiever and successful person leaves clues as to what helped them reach their success. Just as every success story also leaves a blueprint that others can learn from and follow, if they look for it . It is for this reason we choose to highlight high achievers and success icons like Jim Rohn. That said, if you’re ready learn more about Jim Rohn, his legacy, and the many success gems his story undoubtedly contains, let’s dive right in:

THE JIM ROHN STORY OF SUCCESS

Jim Rohn Story of Success

Early Days

Jim Rohn, a.k.a. Emanuel James Rohn, was born in Yakima Washington in 1930. His parents were from Odessa, Russia, but after being selected through a migration lottery system, they won the opportunity to migrate to America. Starting out initially in Washington, Rohn’s family would eventually move to Caldwell Idaho.

In essence, Jim Rohn grew up as farm boy in small farm town of about 5,000 people. His family was not rich, but they got by, by working the land.

Rohn attended public school, and after graduating high school he eventually made his way to college. But, after one year of college, he decided he was smart enough and so decided to quit. Dropping out of college was a mistake he would come to regret years later.

After dropping out, he was ambitious and willing to work hard, so he joined the work force. Three years later he eventually started a family. He got married and had two children.

He worked at Sears and earned a weekly paycheck of $57, which would be valued around $631 per week today. Put another way, he was only making around $32,000 per year, which by today’s standards would place him just barely above the poverty threshold for a family of four.[1]

Needless to say, Rohn got himself into a precarious situation early on. Having started a family, and not having an education to find himself a better paying job, Rohn’s life became extremely challenging.

He started to fall back on his bills and his promises, and was increasingly becoming discouraged. He knew his life and his financial situation were getting especially desperate when one random day, when Girl Scouts came to his door trying to sell him cookies, and he couldn’t bare telling the girls scouts the truth as to why he didn’t want to buy their cookies; because he couldn’t afford them.

Disgusted with himself and his situation, Jim Rohn knew that something had to change. Not knowing what to change or how to change, he became open to learning and open to opportunity.

Turning It All Around

Around the age of 25 is when Jim Rohn’s fortune would begin to change. He happened to came across a man by the name of Earl Schoaff while attending a lecture a friend of his invited him to. Earl Schoaff was an extremely successful business man who’s lifestyle and charming personality caught the eye of the young Jim Rohn.

In fact, Jim was so inspired by Schoaff that he often thought to himself that he would give anything to be like him. And just a few months later, he managed to get personally acquainted with Earl Schoaff who eventually took a liking to him.

Shortly after Schoaff would offer Rohn a job, and Rohn jumped at the opportunity to begin working with his new mentor at a nutritional supplement company known as Abundavita.[2]

Jim Rohn appreciated the job that Schoaff gave him, but it was the relationship and the philosophy that Schoaff bestowed upon him that truly helped him turn it all around.

Schoaff introduced Jim Rohn to the uncommon thought, that he could be more than he was.

Thus, Rohn would go on to work with Earl Schoaff for the next 6 years until he passed, learning everything he could about the fundamentals of living successfully, becoming more valuable to the marketplace, and ultimately how to be both wealthy and happy.

And as fate would have it, those fundamentals worked for Jim Rohn. Not only did he manage to turn his whole life around by increasing his income as a powerhouse salesman, but he would eventually go on to make himself a small fortune in this new business venture.

Related: How To Get Rich With a Normal Job

Making It Big

Jim Rohn made his first million in the vitamin supplements business by the age of 31. And it was this success that eventually led him to move on to greener pastures in Beverly Hills, CA.

It was around this time that he would get on a different life track that would help him solidify his legacy. After giving a speech at a Rotary Club about his success story, people fell in love with his story, charm, and electrifying success insights.[3]

He started to receive more and more invitations to share his story, and eventually businesses started offering him money to deliver it due to the positive motivating affect it was having on their sales people.

Eventually, Jim Rohn saw the opportunity that laid before him with this new found demand in his speeches, and decided to start his own speaking business in the self-development industry. He named the company ‘Adventures in Achievement’, and the rest was history, as he quickly became one of the most in-demand and distinguished leaders of the motivational and self-development industry.

As a self-development and motivational speaker he gave seminars all over the world, sharing his story, and the principles of prosperity and success that he learned under his mentor. In addition to this, he also generously shared the many success insights he acquired during his own experiences in business, which eventually allowed him to amass millions of dollars many times over.

Accolades & Achievements

Here are just a few of the accolades that Jim Rohn managed to achieve during his lifetime….

  • National Speakers Association CPAE Award
  • The Master of Influence Award
  • He’s Authored Over 17 Different Educational Products
  • Mentor of Mentors (Leaders Influenced By Jim Rohn)
    • Tony Robbins
    • Mark Victor Hansen
    • Jack Canfield
    • Brian Tracy
    • Mark Hughes
    • Todd Smith
    • Les Brown
    • Chris Widener
    • T. Harv Eker
    • Darren Hardy

Jim Rohn’s Enduring Legacy

Jim Rohn’s enduring legacy is not just experienced by the people he’s influenced, or the books he wrote, his legacy also lives on in the numerous speeches he gave that have been recorded and released in both audio and visual form.

These days, with a bit of digging, anybody can access some of the most popular and insightful seminars he gave on how to achieve success and live an exceptional life. And the great thing is, much of it (not all) can be consumed for free via YouTube.

Most Popular Jim Rohn YouTube Videos:

That said, Below is a small collection of the top five most impactful and in demand Jim Rohn YouTube videos. If you’ve never heard him speak, give one of these videos just a few minutes of your time. Not only will you acquire a few powerful success secrets that can improve your life, but you’ll quickly come to see why he’s considered one of the greatest speaker’s of all-time. Enjoy!

Work On Yourself | Jim Rohn

This Jim Rohn Video has managed to accrue tons of views in just a few short months. As such, you can bet that it is one of his best speeches. It’s a short video, but worth every minute. If you’re pressed for time, give this video a shot.

Video Credit: Healthy Mindset (Subscribe Here)

Diseases of Attitude | Jim Rohn

This is one of Jim Rohn’s most powerful speeches. It’s only 26 minutes and 33 seconds long, so be sure to watch it, or more importantly, listen to it. This short speech can change your whole life, so whatever you do, don’t skip over this video.

Video Credit: Inspiring Change Everyday (Subscribe Here)

Jim Rohn YouTube Video | Time Is Valuable

This is another powerful motivational speech of Jim Rohn’s. It’s rife with life lessons and wise words on how to better manage your time, appreciate time, so you can become a better manager of your life and as a result, your success. On top of this, it’s also one of the best Jim Rohn YouTube videos to just have play in the background, with it’s great audio quality.

Video Credit: Motivation Madness (Subscribe Here)

Success Ethos | The Jim Rohn Success Story

So how did Jim Rohn become so successful? Based on what we know of his story, our assessment as to how Jim Rohn achieved his success comes down to a handful of observations.

who is jim rohn

The first thing that helped Jim Rohn get on track towards achieving greater success, was the self-belief that his mentor helped him acquire. His association will Earl Schoaff opened his eyes to the very real possibility that he could actually become more than he was. In short, Schoaff helped him believe in himself and believe in success.

This new self-belief was the foundation for the next key to the puzzle. Jim Rohn was able to achieve staggering success because of his receptiveness to learning. He never would have discovered the next level success he achieved for himself had he not resigned himself to needing to learn something new, because what he knew up until the point he met his mentor wasn’t working.

The next thing that helped Jim Rohn achieve so much success was his commitment to self-development. Jim Rohn committed to becoming a better version of himself. He read all the books he could get his hands on; he learned as much as he could about sale, people skills, story telling, business, history, etc.. All what he learned made all the difference in how he presented himself, and influenced others.

Lastly, we believe that one of the biggest factors in Rohn’s success trajectory stemmed from his passion to help people. Jim Rohn knew that service to many, lead to greatness. As such, much of his energy was focused on adding as much value as he possibly could towards improving the lives of others. And the result was…. his ability to make a fortune many times over and a supersized legacy.

Related Success Quotes

Here are a few of Jim Rohn’s most popular quotes related to famous and effective success ethos:

1. “We can have more than we’ve got because we can become more than we are.” – Jim Rohn

2. “Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day.” – Jim Rohn

3. “Learn to work harder on yourself than you do on your job. If you work hard on your job you can make a living, but if you work hard on yourself you’ll make a fortune.” – Jim Rohn

4. “Success is not to be pursued, it is to be attracted by the person you become.” – Jim Rohn

5. “How do you deserve a fortune? Render fortunes of service.” – Jim Rohn

Related: Jim Rohn Quotes For Success

Jim Rohn’s Net Worth

If you’ve ever wondered how rich Jim Rohn actually became after inspiring so many people across the world, we got you covered. Below we’re going to provide you with how much he was worth upon his death, how much his money would be worth had it all been placed in a bank, and just for comparison, also invested in the SP500.

That said, in 2009, experts estimated Jim Rohn’s net worth at roughly $500 million at the time of his death.[4] However, if one were to take into account inflation and the performance of the markets from December 2009 till today, his net worth would be substantially larger.

Assuming Jim Rohn invested his money into safe investments that merely kept up with inflation, his wealth would be approximately $743 million today. However, if Jim Rohn’s family placed his entire fortune in the SP500 in 2009, his net worth would be over $2.5 billion in today.

Related: The Science of Getting Rich

Final Thoughts

This Jim Rohn story was created to highlight the success journey that was taken by Mr. Rohn, which allowed him to achieve massive success, and helped him cement his legacy as one of the most influential motivational speakers and self-development icons of all-time.

We’ve provided his most viewed and inspiring videos, and uncovered the success ethos that guided Jim Rohn in his becoming the legend he is and always will be. Here they are again to answer the question as to how Jim Rohn became successful:

Self-Belief | Receptivity to Learning | Commitment to Growth | Service to Others

Now that you have these handful of Jim Rohn success insights, go forth and apply them to improve your life.  And remember…

“For Things To Change, You Have to Change. For Things To Get Better, You Have to Get Better.”

– jim rohn –

Till you reach your aims,

STRIVE

PS – If you enjoyed this story about Jim Rohn then we have a hunch you’ll enjoyed this collection of powerful success stories.

Continue Reading

Strive Stories

THE ED MYLETT STORY OF SUCCESS

Published

on

ed mylett success story

Ed Mylett is a highly successful business leader, peak performance coach, and is one of the best motivational speakers in the world. He’s also the best-selling author of ‘The Power of One More‘, and a self-made multimillionaire who made it on to the Forbes 50 Wealthiest Under 50 list. So, considering the impressive accomplishments of this globally recognized entrepreneur, we will be diving into how he managed to achieve so much in this Ed Mylett Story of Success.

Without Failure, There Would Be No Success. You Need One To Achieve The Other.”

Just like Ed, we too believe that success requires failure. It’s why we research and publish the encouraging success stories of so many icons and high achievers, to clearly show that failure is a part of the process of success.  In addition to this, we also believe every successful person leaves a blueprint of success that others can use for their own benefit. So, if you’re ready to see what you can learn from Ed Mylett’s story of success, then let’s dive right in.

THE ED MYLETT SUCCESS STORY

ed mylett story of success

Early Days

Ed Mylett was born in 1971 in Diamond Bar, California. He grew up in a loving family with three younger sisters, but it was rather dysfunctional family, considering his father was both an alcoholic and a drug addict.[1]

Ed spent most of his youth feeling on edge and uncertain around his father, not knowing which version he was speaking and relating too when he was around; the drunk and unpredictable father, or the sober and loving one.

For nearly 15 years, he lived in a state of uncertainty around his father, until one day when his father finally decided to get sober. Ed survived his childhood, but growing up with an alcoholic father had an indelible impact on his psyche. In fact, for many years he felt ashamed of where he came from. He had little to no self-confidence growing up, and was that little guy who would get bullied at school.

Fortunately, Ed Mylett found sports, and happened to be really good at them, especially baseball. In fact, he was so good at the sport that he would go on to play Division I Baseball for the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California.

Major-League Dreams

Baseball would become everything for Ed. In fact, he had big dreams of playing major-league baseball one day. While earning his degree at the University of The Pacific, Ed would go on to become an NCAA All-American not once, not twice, but three times.[2]

He also had one of the best battering averages on the team, and was a NCAA leader in stolen bases. Baseball was everything for Mylett, until he one day he was hit in his right leg by an errant pitch.

The injury from the pitch would eventually grow into a tumor, which then grew into a catastrophic injury that required the removal of small chunks from his calf. This injury, and the subsequent surgeries that it required, eventually lead to the end of his baseball career and some of his most cherished dreams.

Devastation to Transformation

After his dreams were shattered, Mylett would eventually finish up his education at the University of the Pacific. But shortly after, he ended up moving back into his parent’s house.

He didn’t have a job, and was feeling aimless. However, his father decided to intervene in the young Mylett’s seemingly hopeless situation.

One day after finishing up one of his AA mettings, Mylett’s father encouraged him to go to a job he set up for him at an orphanage called the McKinley Group Home for Boys. Mylett went to the job, and became a role model to the underprivileged and formally neglected boys who lived at this orphanage.

This experience would become a transformational one for Ed Mylett, as he’d learned what it truly meant to serve other people. He learned how go from an ego-driven athlete to a loving role-model and father-like-figure to a handful of boys, boys who desperately needed someone in their lives who loved, cared, and believed in them.

It was this experience that helped transform Mylett into the person and leader that would eventually help him achieve massive success he would go on to achieve in the business world.

Big Brother to Big Business

Ed Mylett would eventually stop working at the Orphanage, but the experience and life lessons he learned while there helped pave the way for his future endeavors and achievements.

In 1992, Mylett joined the World Financial Group (WFG). He leveraged the competitiveness and laser-like focus he acquired as a collegiate athlete, along with the heart of gold he acquired while working as a counselor at the McKinley Group Home for Boys, and his career took off.

This winning combination of being driven to succeed and win, while genuinely wanting to help other people succeed, assisted Mylett in growing multiple teams of highly committed individuals who took the financial services industry by storm.

Ed Mylett’s ability to inspire other leaders led to his swift professional advancement at WFG. After a few short years of growing his book of business, Mylett would soon become the company’s youngest CEO Marketing Director.

Soon thereafter, he would go on to rise to the level of Senior Executive Vice Chairman, and then become the Director of Field Leadership for the company. And in the process he accumulated for himself massive levels of financial success.

Next Level Success

Not one to rest on his laurels, Ed Mylett would eventually move on to leverage his skills sets in a different way. Initially hesitant to give up his peaceful and private life, a conversation with Tony Robbins nudge him make his move.

Ed Mylett Story of Success Quote

So, he decided to become a peak performance coach, motivational speaker, and author to help other people learn how to believe in themselves, improve their mindsets, and achieve the next level success they’ve always dreamed about.

Mylett also runs a highly successful podcast, the ‘Ed Mylett Show’, where he shares many of his best success insights with the world, and interviews other success icons to help share their inspiration and insights as well.

In just a few short years, Mylett has grown his online audience to nearly 4 million followers, and growing. In addition to this, he’s also managed to continually growing his fortune.

These days he has own private jet, multiple residences, many fancy cars, and a massive net worth. But even more importantly, Ed Mylett has acquired a true passion for helping people adopt and develop a champion’s mindset and achieve more success in their lives by believing they can.

Related: Ed Mylett Net Worth

Success Ethos | Ed Mylett Story

So what is Ed Mylett’s secret of success? Well, we believe as Ed Mylett does as well, that much of his success comes from his ability to connect with and influence people.

Ed Mylett has a keen ability to be present with people, and he has a level of energy and certainty when he communicates that has undoubtedly helped him inspire and persuade people.

So, in a nutshell, much of his success can be attributed to his strong communication skills, his ability to inspire people to believe in themselves, and a strong work ethic, which he acquired from his time as an athlete.[3]

That said, here’s some of Ed Mylett’s own takes on what it takes to succeed at the level he has:

1. “What you envision in your mind, how you see yourself, and how you envision the world around you is of great importance, because those things become your focus.” – Ed Mylett

2. “I think the biggest shift in our lives, the things that make us the happiest is that when somebody helps us identify our natural giftedness.” – Ed Mylett

3. “Sustainable success is not built overnight. Real success is the result of consistent, sustained effort.” – Ed Mylett

4. “Show me your schedule and I’ll show you your priorities.” – Ed Mylet

5. “Life’s going to give you what you’ll fight for.” – Ed Mylett

Read More: Ed Mylett Quotes

Final Thoughts

There you have it, Ed Mylett’s story of success. We covered his unique beginning as an unconfident boy learning to cope with a parent who was an alcoholic, to then discovering life changing leadership skills that he never would have learned had his father not been attending AA meetings, to then taking those skills he learned helping kids believe in themselves, to then helping countless others believe in themselves in business and life.

Indeed, we’ve come full circle, with his story clearly demonstrating that without certain failures, there would be no success.

That said, we hope you enjoyed this success story, and learned a thing or two about how you can go about finding a similar level of success in your endeavors and in your life.

Till you reach your aims,

STRIVE

PS – If you enjoyed our Ed Mylett story, then you’ll likely enjoy reading about the success stories of fellow business leaders and coaches like Grant Cardone or Tony Robbins.

Continue Reading

Strive Stories

THE COLONEL SANDERS SUCCESS STORY

Published

on

Colonel Sanders who officially went by the name of Colonel Harland David Sanders, was the American businessman who founded and popularized the famed brand known as Kentucky Fried Chicken. His story is unique, and is one that every entrepreneur or dream chaser should know about.

We believe success leaves clues, and Colonel Sander’s story not only does that, but it also provides a level of encouragement that can help just about anybody get through the struggles we all face as we strive to achieve our aims.

So, with that being said, if you’re ready to learn and be inspired by one of the best failure to success stories of all time, then let’s dive into this epic Colonel Sanders Story of Success.

THE COLONEL SANDERS STORY

colonel sanders success story

Early Days

Colonel Harland David Sanders was born September 9, 1890 in Henryville, Indiana. He was the oldest of three brothers and was born into a family that struggled to make ends meet.

His father passed away when he was just six years old, and his mother worked long hours in a tomato canning factory. Harland was no stranger to hard work as he would become a farmhand to help out the household financially at the age of 10.

When 7th grade rolled around Harland would drop out of school to go work off of a farm. Thus, at the age of 13 he left home to achieve his fortune working various odd jobs. When things weren’t working out financially, he decided to join the military.

So, at the age of 16, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, even though he did so by faking his age. Colonel Harland Sanders would serve one year before getting honorably discharged.

An Early Career That Was All Over The Map

Once Good Ole Harland Sanders got out of the military, he would go on to take countless jobs in a variety of different fields. Most of the jobs he’d lose would be due to quarrels with others or just plain old misfortune.

Over the years he’d flit from job to job in a manner and frequency that would even impress a Millennial. Here’s a snapshot of just a portion of his job-hopping ways:

  • Worked For The Railroad Company (Lost His Job Due To Fighting).
  • Legal Career (Lost His Job After Attempting To Beat His Own Client With A Chair).
  • Life Insurance Salesman (lost this job due to insubordination).
  • Life Insurance Salesman (Lost This Job Due To Insubordination).
  • Started A Ferry Boat Company (Succeeded And Cashed It Out).
  • Took A Job As The Secretary Of The Chamber Of Commerce (Resigned Within A Year).
  • Started A Lamp Manufacturing Business (It Failed).
  • Took A Job As Salesman For The Michelin Tire Company (Was Eventually Laid Off).
  • Landed A Job Running A Service Station (Station Closed Due To The Economy).
colonel sanders story quote

Positive Change, For A While

Things started to change for Colonel Sanders when he hit 40. He would eventually land another job working for a service station out of Kentucky. This time, he worked for Shell, and was allowed to live their rent free so long as he paid a portion of his sales to the company.

And, because he had a living quarters within this station, Sanders started to experiment with offering up his delicious chicken to customers. The demand for his meals grew so large, that he eventually opened up a restaurant in the station to serve all the interested customers.

Sanders’ popularity grew so fast within the community, that he practically became a household name locally. Everybody knew Sanders, especially because he did volunteer work delivering babies locally, that and because everyone loved the delicious meals his restaurant served. And before he knew it, his generosity and popularity helped him earn the title of colonel by the Governor of Kentucky.

With his restaurant business and reputation humming along, Sanders would seek to expand his empire. He purchased a hotel in North Carolina, but then just a few short months later, his popular restaurant in Kentucky would burn down.

Sanders would go on to rebuild it, but the economy was starting to become severely impacted by WWII, which would eventually force him to close his North Carolina hotel.

Refiring Instead of Retiring

When Sanders hit the age of 52 he started to dabble with the idea of franchising his secret recipe. He would call his perfected recipe, “Kentucky Fried Chicken”. Unfortunately, his idea to franchise his recipe didn’t receive the warm welcome he was hoping for. In fact, his recipe would get rejected 1,009 times before anyone warmed up to the idea.

But, he persisted and eventually found a few converts he and there, and would eventually negotiate around 4 cents for every chicken sold that used his recipe.

Unfortunately, at the age of 65, Sanders’ hit restaurant in Kentucky would eventually lose steam. As such, he sold it. Sanders was now forced into early retirement with only a small amount of savings and a measly social security check to live off of.

But, believing that every failure could be a stepping stone to something better, he decided to use his new found circumstances as an opportunity to really push his recipe franchising idea into overdrive. So, he hit the road and did what he did best aside from making phenomenal chicken, he started selling his recipe.

And as the saying goes, the rest is history. Colonel Sanders’ Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise would explode in popularity and demand. He got the funding he’d been looking for and expanded his franchise all over the country, and then the world.

Avalanches of success flowed the Colonel’s way, and before he knew it he had over 600 franchises selling his chicken all over the world. This new found success allowed Colonel Sanders to finally slow down at the ripe age of 73. So, he sold his company and turned him into a multi-millionaire overnight.

Success In His Own Words

Before we wrap up this Colonel Sanders story of success and achievement, here are a few of his own insights on success. Consider these quotes his very own advice on what it takes to succeed in the world of business, as he has:

1. “One has to remember that every failure can be a stepping stone to something better.” – Colonel Sanders

2. “Hard work beats all the tonics and vitamins in the world.” – Colonel Sanders

3. “I’ve only had two rules. Do all you can and do it the best you can.” – Colonel Sanders

4. “I just say the moral out of my life is don’t quit at age 65, maybe your boat hasn’t come in yet. Mine hadn’t.” – Colonel Sanders

5. “Wealth, like happiness, is never attained when sought after directly. It comes as a byproduct of providing a useful service.” – Colonel Sanders

Read More: Colonel Sanders Quotes

Final Thoughts

Th Colonel Sanders success story demonstrates how someone can flit around from job to job and still eventually find their groove and leave a legacy. Sanders’ story also shows that hard work and diligence eventually pays off, regardless of your age, if you press on long enough.

But most importantly, Colonel Sanders’ story highlights how it’s possible to continually turn your life around, and go from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm, and that there is a fantastic reward that awaits those who through sheer will and persistence, keep striving for their goals.

Colonel Sanders is indeed an icon, a legend, and yes even a massive failure…. but that’s exactly why he’s also a massive success.

Till you reach your aims,

STRIVE

PS – If you enjoy this Colonel Sanders Success Story, then chances are you’ll also enjoy these handful of motivational stories.

Continue Reading