4 Inspiring People Who Turned Their Lives Around
LIFE STORIES
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Navigating life in a world that demands perfection can be hard. We are imperfect beings. We make mistakes. Some of us have failed epically at some point in our life. However, when we share the story of our journey our audience only want just enough drama to make them feel sorry for us. They’re not really interested in the gory details.
Why?
It makes them feel uncomfortable. Too much detail makes the story lose its shine. They want to believe that if they ever got in the fire they could come out not smelling of smoke.
The world can be unforgiving. It demands perfection. If you failed the world wants to know this:
How did you turn it all around and make it right again?
In other words they want the formula of how you made it so they can get there too.
No one is interested in your story until you win. At the same time no one is interested in your winning story until you can tell how you fell and failed!
If you’re recovering from a downturn in your life be inspired by these stories of people who turned their situations around and became heroes. If they did it, so can you.
You can never have too much inspiration and encouragement.
Tony Robbins
Tony grew up in a blended family. Life was tough but he made it out. At one point in his life he was forced to live in his car. He was mentored by Jim Rohn and later became a motivational speaker. He is now known by thousands of people all over the world who attend his seminars.
Lesson
Being raised in a blended family need not be a hindrance. If you don’t have the right role models around you find a mentor, find a coach.
Tony was fortunate to be in the presence of his mentor. However, the technology that is available nowadays allows you to have access to different people on the internet. YouTube is an excellent platform to find people who can act as your mentor or coach.
There are also good books that you can read or listen to audio versions of them all for free so you don’t need to fork out thousands of pounds to be mentored by a guru. Small steps are all you need to take to get started.
Lisa Nichols
The father of Lisa’s baby was arrested for a crime and sent to jail. One day Lisa found herself in a situation where she had so little money she couldn’t even afford to buy nappies for the baby. She had to wrap him in a towel.
That was a life-changing moment for Lisa. She made a vow to herself and she made a promise to her son that she would never be that broke ever again.
From that moment on Lisa started to turn her life around. She changed the circles she moved in. She distanced herself from friends and family for about a decade whilst she worked on improving herself both academically and mentally. This led to her success.
Lisa is very emotional when she relates story and you can tell that it was a difficult decision for her to leave the familiar behind. However she recognised that the only way that she would be able to move forward was to leave her baggage behind.
During her talks Lisa warns her audience about the dangers of trying to rescue everybody. She reminds them that you cannot take everybody with you when you start your journey of moving forward. You need to get yourself sorted out first. When you’re established only then should you come back and get the others.
Trying to take everybody with you will only slow you down down. Worse still - it may even hinder you.
Lesson
Making mistakes happens in life. However, it doesn’t mean you need to stay in that situation. You can get out. You can turn your life around.
Lisa recognised that you cannot make progress in an environment that does not support your dreams. She made a vow to herself, cut her losses and moved on.
When you make the decision to grow and move forward, be prepared to leave the past behind. Don’t keep looking over your shoulder at the past — it has nothing you to say to you. It may be hard at first, you may be at the receiving end of abuse, but it is possible, it can be done, and it will only be good for you. Your future self will thank you for it.
Oprah Winfrey
The first time I got to know about Oprah Winfrey was when she acted in the movie The Color Purple. She was a brilliant actress and portrayed the character of a woman who took no nonsense from anyone.
Years later I was pleasantly surprised to learn that she had become a well-known Talk Show Host. Her journey was nothing short of amazing considering that she was the first African American woman to have such a popular show, and competing for ratings with the likes of Larry King.
Oprah grew up in poverty. She was sexually abused. She even fell pregnant but lost the baby.
When she eventually started working, her first few roles did not always work out well for her. She was reportedly dismissed from a reporting job at the age of 23.
All this did not stop her from pursuing her dream and making it a reality. Today she is one of the most recognisable faces and a billionaire.
Lesson
Don’t let the pain of your abuse or rejection consume you to destruction. Use it to fuel your desires. Instead of fighting those who took advantage of you when you were vulnerable, let your massive success be your revenge.
J.K. Rowling
If you haven’t read Harry Potter books or seen the movies I’m sure you’ve at least heard the name. If you haven’t, where on earth have you been?
The author who penned the famous Harry Potter books is J.K. Rowling. When she was 28 she was receiving state benefits. She had to go to a cafe to write her books, so she could reduce her utility bills. At one point she wanted to end her life.
Today JK Rowling is a wealthy woman. Her books are popular all over the world and movies have been made out of them.
Lesson
Use whatever skill you have to get you out of the situation that you’re in. Make use of free services to cut back on or minimise your costs. Every step you take in the right direction, however small it may be, will help you reach your desired destination. Don’t let poverty or lack stop you.
The Big Takeaway
It doesn’t matter where or how you start out in life. What matters is how you finish. Do everything you can to make sure you finish strong. When things go wrong, as they sometimes will, never give up on yourself, never give up on life. It may be a sign that you’re running someone else’s race. Find your lane and when you do, run your race with focus. Run to win.