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8 Successful and Famous People That Failed At First

1. Michael Jordan – Considered by many the greatest basketball player of all time.

In his high school he was cut from the basketball team. After that he went home, locked himself in his room and cried.

Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan | (Photo: Reuters)

2. Albert Einstein – The famed theoretical physicist who developed the general theory of relativity, one of the two pillars of modern physics.

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When he was young his parents thought that he was mentally retarded. In school, his teacher told him "You will never amount to anything!"

Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein | (Photo: Reuters)

3. Bill Gates – The Founder and chairman of Microsoft.

He was a Harvard University dropout. He started a software company by purchasing the software technology for only US$50 back then.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates attends a session at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Jan. 26, 2012.
Microsoft founder Bill Gates attends a session at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Jan. 26, 2012. | (Photo: Reuters/Christian Hartmann)

4. Steven Spielberg – Film director, producer, screenwriter, and business magnate. He is considered one of the most popular and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema.

He dropped out of junior high school. He came back to school and was placed in a learning-disabled class but couldn't last more than a month. He then dropped out of school forever.

Steven Spielberg at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival
Steven Spielberg at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival | Reuters in the News Search of Yahoo

5. Oprah Winfrey – Host of a multi-award-winning talk show and one of the the most influential women in the world.

She was once a TV reporter but got fired because she was considered as unfit for TV.

Oprah Winfrey gestures during the taping of 'Oprah's Surprise Spectacular' in Chicago May 17, 2011. Winfrey kicked off one of her last-ever national talk shows on Tuesday with hugs from Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise and Madonna in a packed Chicago arena.
Oprah Winfrey gestures during the taping of "Oprah's Surprise Spectacular" in Chicago May 17, 2011. Winfrey kicked off one of her last-ever national talk shows on Tuesday with hugs from Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise and Madonna in a packed Chicago arena. | (Photo: Reuters / John Gress)

6. Elvis Presley – "The King" was considered one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century.

When he sang at the Grand Ole Opry, the oldest continuous radio program in the United States, in 1954, he was told to stick to his day job of driving trucks.

Elvis Presley is pictured in his United States Army uniform in this undated publicity photograph.
Elvis Presley is pictured in his United States Army uniform in this undated publicity photograph. | (Photo: Reuters/Handout)

7. Walt Disney – Creator of Mickey Mouse and winner of 22 Academy Awards.

He was a newspaper editor but got fired for lacking imagination and having no original ideas.

Walter Elias Disney
Walter Elias Disney | (Photo: YouTube/Athendanza)

8. Steve Jobs – The man behind Apple and a stream of tech. gadgets that have transformed the modern world such as the iPhone, iPad, iPod, and various Mac computers.

Jobs was a college dropout, and was also fired as a tech executive from the company he co-founded.

The co-founder of Apple and Pixar Animation Studios, later returned to Apple to guide the company in transforming itself to become the leader in the computer and cellphone industry.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs talks about the iCloud service at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, California, June 6, 2011.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs talks about the iCloud service at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, California, June 6, 2011. | (Reuters/Beck Diefenbach)


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