Biography and the path of rich people. The richest people and their success stories

The TOP-10 of the richest people in the world in 2016 was determined by Forbes magazine.

TOP 10 richest people on the planet in 2017

On March 1, Forbes released its ranking of dollar billionaires. In total, the list of surnames included 1,810 people; the size of their capital was estimated by the volume of assets as of January 2017.

  1. Bill Gates, worth $ 75 billion.
  2. Amanicio Ortega, his assets are $ 67 billion.
  3. Warren Buffett, owner of $ 60.8 billion.
  4. Carlos Slim Elu, with $ 50 billion in personal ownership.
  5. Jeff Bezos, owner of $ 45.2 billion.
  6. Mark Zuckerberg with a capital of $ 44.6 billion.
  7. Larry Ellison with $ 43.6 billion.
  8. Michael Bloomberg, owner of $ 40 billion.
  9. Charles Koch with $ 39.6 billion.
  10. David Koch, brother Charles Koch, with a similar capital of $ 39.6 billion.

What are the people doing who operate in billions and invest tens of millions in the development of new projects?

Ranking leader - Bill Gates

Bill Gates leads the TOP 10 richest people in the world this year. His revenues are increasing not only thanks to the activities of the Microsoft company he founded, which once made a revolutionary breakthrough in the software market, but also thanks to investments in developing projects such as:

  • mechanical engineering;
  • railway companies;
  • development and disposal of industrial waste.

Bill Gates' biography is one of the stories of rich people who started from scratch. While still a student, he devoted a lot of time to studying and developing programming languages \u200b\u200band writing programs for various tasks.

A kind of breakthrough in his career and in the fate of the Microsoft company he founded was the development operating system MS-DOS and contract with IBM. Further expansion led to the development of the Windows operating system, which allows the company to still dominate the software market today.

Successful businessmen are always strong personalities, and the famous rules formulated by Gates confirm this. Here are the most valuable and informative ones:

  1. "Life is not fair - get used to it."
  2. "Change your attitude to failure and learn from your mistakes."
  3. "Before criticizing your parents, start with yourself."
  4. "You don't become a chauffeur-driven VP until you deserve both."

This year it turned out that among the TOP-10 richest people in the world there were several people at once who earned billions of dollars in capital thanks to computer and network technologies.

In 5th place among the ten richest people on the planet was Jeff Bezos, head of the Amazon online store. He also owns the aerospace company Blue Origin and the publishing house The Washington Post.

Bezos, like many influential businessmen, actively invests funds, not stopping at the achieved figures. He invests in projects such as Twitter, UBER, AirBNB, Rethink Robotics and promising startups.

Interesting facts about Amazon and Jeff Bezos himself (pictured):

  1. The company is prohibited from using color printers and all information is printed in black and white for the sake of economy.
  2. The size of the teams working on a project is determined using the "2-pizza rule". If a group lacks 2 pizzas at lunchtime to have lunch, then the group size is too large.
  3. Special robots are used to sort goods in Amazon warehouses.
  4. Bezos personally designed the boxes in which orders are packed so that they can then be used in everyday life rather than thrown away.
  5. In 2015, the company was allowed to deliver goods by drones in some states.

Mark Zuckerberg has surprised many with his presence in the 6th place among the 10 richest people in the world. The founder of the social network Facebook got into the top of the rating for the first time. His interest in programming began with computer graphics and the creation of simple computer games... School friends brought him primitive pictures from which he copied the future characters of the games.

On the this moment Zuckerberg is the youngest billionaire in the world (his age is 31), and he can rightfully be called a businessman, very rapidly increasing his capital. While Bill Gates lost $ 4 billion over the past year and Warren Buffett, ranked # 3, lost nearly $ 12 billion, Zuckerberg increased his net worth by $ 11 billion in 2015.

Biographies of the richest people in history

The most successful entrepreneurs in the history of mankind laid the foundations for doing business in the conditions of modern civilization. Some of the surnames have become household names, and novice businessmen take examples from the rich themselves. How did those whose biographies later become a model of entrepreneurial thinking get rich? The capitals of prominent businessmen throughout history have been adjusted to current levels for inflation.

  1. The most successful entrepreneurs in history are the Rothschild family, whose fortune is now estimated at $ 350 billion. Mining, winemaking, investment in banks, agricultural land and private assets helped them to accumulate such capital.
  2. John Rockefeller, who earned $ 340 billion (in modern terms) in his life. His areas of business involved oil refining - he founded the company Standart Oil, also invested in railways, steel enterprises, shipping companies and real estate companies.
  3. Andrew Carnegie is an industrialist with American and Irish roots, the owner of the steel company Carnegie Steel, whose assets would now be $ 310 billion.
  4. Henry Ford, an American car manufacturer, left his mark on history as a successful businessman and wise man of his day. Billions were brought to him by the Ford Motor company he founded, which has many branches in different countries the world. His net worth would be $ 199 billion by today's standards.
  5. Cornelius Vanderbilt, who also founded a dynasty of entrepreneurs, virtually changed the course of American history. His main profitable business was investment in the railway, which was actively developing at that time. In total, during his life, he earned $ 185 billion in terms of today's level.

How did rich people get rich? This question haunts very many and it is almost impossible to give an unambiguous answer to it. A promising businessman, feeling the so-called "vein" in himself, acts simultaneously with cold calculation and relying on intuition in making important decisions.

One of the main features that can be seen in many biographies of wealthy people is the ability and willingness to take risks. Rockefeller's quote "Who works all day has no time to make money" reflects the state of mind of a successful entrepreneur - at a certain moment you need to be able to quit one activity and switch to another in order to achieve success in it.

Successful people and charity

Many of the success stories of wealthy people include lines about charitable giving and sponsorship of low-profit organizations. Charity as an occupation for successful people deserves special attention... What makes rich people donate their capital and for what purposes?

  • educational programs;
  • vaccine development and immunization in developing countries;
  • aIDS research;
  • assistance to refugees;
  • the fight against polio.

Michael Bloomberg, who is ranked 8th in the Forbes Top Ten, has donated about $ 4 billion to charity so far. His main areas of assistance are contributions to the development of art, educational goals and medical research, in particular, therapy and diagnosis of cancer.

The Koch brothers, co-owners of the Koch Industries holding, actively donate funds to the development of education in the United States, and in 2014 one of the areas of the Metropolitan Museum in New York was named after David Koch in gratitude for the funds allocated for its reconstruction.

Pavel Valerievich Durov (born October 10, 1984, Leningrad) is a Russian programmer, one of the founders of the VKontakte social network (among other co-authors of the resource - and his brother, Nikolai Durov).

Laureate of scholarships of the President of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Russian Federation, three-time winner of the Vladimir Potanin scholarship, winner of the Olympiads in linguistics, informatics and design.

In October 2011, Pavel Durov was noted by Forbes magazine as one of the 9 most unusual Russian businessmen - madmen, eccentrics and eccentrics.

1. Do what you like. Learn. Teach. Develop. Change yourself from within. Golden Rule says - do what gives true pleasure, and then you will become much happier.

2. Give up the garbage you eat, drink and smoke every day.

3. Learn foreign languages. There are 60 million Russian-speaking Internet users. There are one billion English speakers. Knowledge of English is no longer just a whim of intellectuals, but a vital necessity.

4. Read books. The golden rule is read / listen to at least one book a week. These are 50 books a year that will turn your life around.

5. Have a good every weekend.

6. Set goals, write them down on paper, in Word or in a blog. The main thing is that they are clear, understandable and measurable. If you set a goal, then you can either achieve it or not. If you don't, then there are no options for achieving at all.

7. Learn to blind-type: Time is one of the few treasures you have, and you should be able to type almost as fast as you can think. And you should not think about where the required letter is located, but about what you are writing.

8. Saddle time. Learn to manage your affairs so that they work almost without your participation. First, read Allen (Getting Things Done) or Gleb Arkhangelsky. Make decisions quickly, act immediately, don't postpone it. Either do everything, or delegate to someone.

9. Give up computer games, aimless sitting on social networks and dumb surfing the Internet. Minimize communication on social networks, leave one account. Destroy the TV antenna in the apartment.

11. Learn to get up early. The paradox is that in the early hours you always do more than in the evening. A person needs 7 hours of sleep, provided that physical activity and normal nutrition.

12. Try to surround yourself with decent, honest, open, intelligent, and successful people.

13. Go in for sports. Yoga, rock climbing, cycling, horizontal bar, parallel bars, football, running, plyometrics, swimming, functional training are the best friends of a person who wants to restore body tone and get a burst of endorphins. And forget what an elevator is.

14. Do unusual things. Go to a place where you have never been, take a different route to work, figure out a problem that you know nothing about. Get out of the "comfort zone", expand your knowledge and horizons. Rearrange furniture at home, change your appearance, hairstyle, image.

15. Get rid of the junk.

16. Forget about the past. Take with you from there only experience, knowledge, a good relationship and positive impressions.

17. Do not be afraid. There are no insurmountable obstacles, and all doubts live only in your head. You don't have to be a warrior, you just need to see the goal, avoid obstacles and know that you will achieve it without a single chance of failure.

Warren Buffett is the most famous and richest investor in the world. According to Forbes, he ranks second in the list of billionaires of the planet - after Bill Gates. Warren Buffett's fortune is estimated at $ 46 billion. The Bogush Time blog has published 10 tips from Warren Buffett for investing.

1. Investing is to invest money today - and tomorrow get more money... Warren Buffett has always had a rather modest lifestyle. Instead of living in expensive cottages and eating in restaurants, he invested every free penny in stocks. For 35 years, he managed to increase the initial amount of $ 100 thousand by 200,000%.

2. Buy shares of those companies whose products you personally like. At one time, Warren Buffett significantly increased his fortune by buying a 9 percent stake in the company that produced his favorite Gillette razor.

3. Don't invest in areas that you don't understand. Investing in a business that you can understand is much more profitable.

4. Don't be "shy" with losing stocks. If your forecast did not come true and instead of profit the company brings losses - sell your shares and do not waste your nerves.

5. Behind every stock that grows is a successful business. If everything is good in the company and incomes grow, the shares will grow.

6. Invest in international business.

7. There are winning shares on the market and you need to find them. Typically, some companies grow faster than others. From which follows the next, the eighth rule of Warren Buffett.

8. If you use calculations, you will definitely reach the top. But at least you will protect yourself from the biggest risks. Use analysis to differentiate yourself from the crowd of uneducated investors. This way you will increase your income.

9. The main thing is the history of the company. Investors often make the same mistake - they try to assess the situation "by looking in the rearview mirror", ie. paying attention to a short amount of time. But, Warren Buffett is sure that you need to see the entire history of the company's development, and not a short snippet of it.

10. Don't be in a hurry or nervous. "When I buy stocks, I don't care what happens to them the next day," says Buffett. "The main thing is that it's easy for me to predict what will happen to the market in the long term."

Billionaire Donald John Trump, whose fortune is estimated at $ 3 billion, gave ten tips for those wishing to get rich. In the book Trump. How to Become Wealthy ”real estate tycoon gives future entrepreneurs advice on how to make their first billion.

1. Always dress according to your cultural background. I used to take pride in buying inexpensive suits and other clothes. It didn't make sense to pay thousands of dollars if you could buy things for $ 100. Who will know? But over the years, I realized that I was wrong. Now I buy very high quality shoes, and they seem to be eternal, while the cheap, I remember, wore out quickly and looked exactly as much as I paid for them. Clothes say a lot about us even before we open our mouths.

2. Intentionally harm your reputation. Give out carefully selected nuggets of information, provide thoughtful provocative opinions to see what the reaction will be. Saying something unexpected can lead to a revealing response. I could make an outrageous comment in a meeting to see if other participants would agree or resist. This is a good way to appreciate the people you sit with at the table.

3. Become your own financial advisor. Many people hire financial consultants, but I have seen consultants lead people to ruin more than once. When choosing an advisor, rely on your own judgment based on what you read on the business pages of reputable publications. As you read them, you begin to get a sense of what's going on in the market, including which consultants are best. Stick with the winners.

4. Let's change! If you are under pressure, respond in kind. If you are insulted, attack with all your strength and energy. An eye for an eye. Be incredulous. I know you don't look too good in this case, but even best friend may encroach on your spouse or your money.

5. Don't neglect hairdressing. I am often criticized for the way I comb my hair. The New York Times called my hairstyle "a complex piece that is best left to architectural critics." In my opinion, she looks good, but I have never argued that the hairstyle is my greatest strength. However, it surprises me how often I am asked if I am wearing a wig. Answer: categorically no. I don't wear a wig.

6. Try to avoid shaking hands. Some administrators believe in a strong handshake. I believe in no handshake. Often I have to deal with the fact that a person who clearly has a cold comes up to me and says: "Mr. Trump, I want to shake your hand." It is known that this is the way microbes are transmitted. There was a case when a man came out of the toilet, shaking water from his still wet hands. He walked over to my table and said: “Mr. Trump, you great person... May I shake your hand? " In this case, I decided to shake hands, because I was in a hurry and knew that if I shake his hand, I would not be able to finish the meal.

7. Obey your instincts. Entrepreneurship is not a group activity. You have to trust yourself. You may have solid academic degrees, but without instinct it will be difficult for you to get up and stay there. This is one of those gray areas that remain a mystery even to those with sophisticated business instincts. There are subtle signs that can signal whether or not it is necessary to conclude a particular deal, to enter into contacts with certain people.

8. Remain optimistic, but be prepared for failure. There are ups and downs, but you can survive them if you are prepared for them. The ability to anticipate a problem saved me from wasting energy and will save you from unpleasant surprises. Ups and downs are inevitable. I am a very careful person, but that does not mean that I am a pessimist. Call it positive thinking with an eye to reality.

9. Pay attention to details. If you do not know all aspects of what you are doing, you doom yourself to nasty surprises... I once read about a respected neurosurgeon fanatically obsessed with the details and organization of an operation. He was preparing for the upcoming operation by jogging in the morning. He mentally imagined all the details, recalled everything he knew, all the difficulties and complications that he might face. But you don't have to be a neurosurgeon to pay attention to details.

10. Make marriage contracts. If I had not signed a marriage contract, this book would have been written by a man who has lost a lot. It took a bus to bring Yvonne's lawyers to court, but luckily I had a marriage contract. A friend who was about to marry for the fifth time told me: "I am so in love that I do not need a marriage contract." A year later, his marriage fell apart and he had to go through hell. He looked like a frightened puppy. I didn't have the courage to say the words that swirled in my tongue: you're a loser!

Steve Jobs Is one of the most successful entrepreneurs of our time. His success story has become a legend. Adopted in early childhood, dropping out of college 6 months after starting school, sleeping on the floor in his friends' rooms, handing in 5 cent Coke bottles to eat - this man created Apple and the animation studio Pixar.

1. Do what you love. Find your true passion. The only way to do something really great is to love what you do.

2. Be different. Think differently. "Better to be a pirate than a sailor."

3. Do the best you can. In any business, do the best you can. Do not sleep! Success brings even more success. Crave success! Hire cool people who are passionate about perfection.

4. Conduct a SWOT analysis. As soon as you have your own company, write down a list of strong people on a piece of paper and weaknesses their own and their company. Didn't hesitate to throw the rotten apples out of the company.

5. Be adventurous. Set a new big goal every time. Among the many ideas, find those that need to be quickly and decisively implemented and ... jump with them into the window of new opportunities. Sometimes, the first step is the hardest. Just do it! And have the courage to follow your heart and your intuition.

6. Start small, think big. Don't think about a lot at once. Start with a few simple ideas, and then you will get to more complex ones. Think not only about tomorrow, but also about the Future. “I want to shout to the whole world,” Steve Jobs once said.

7. Strive to become a market leader. Own leading technologies, control them in all areas of your activity. If there is a better technology, use it even if no one is using it. Be the first to set industry standards.

8. Focus on the result. People judge you by your actions, so focus on the result. Be the yardstick for quality. Not all people are used to the highest quality surroundings. Let them know about it. If they don't know about the quality, they won't buy the product. Pay attention to design. "We've created buttons so beautiful you'll want to lick them." "Design is not about looks or feel, but how it works."

9. Ask for advice. Ask for advice from people from different fields. Each one will tell you one useful thought. If you are the main link, sometimes you will not be given honest answers because they will be afraid. Then disguise yourself or collect reviews from other sources. Focus on who will use your product, listen to consumers first.

10. Change. Innovation differentiates the leader from the followers. Reassign. Let the other top executives do 50% of the work routine, keep the other 50% for innovation. Say “no” to a thousand things, so that you can be sure not to jump on the wrong path and not waste your energy on too much. Concentrate on really important ideas and radical innovation. Hire those people who want to create the best things in the world. Even in a tech company, you need to create a culture of product-oriented people. Many companies have tons of great engineers and smart people, but in the end it takes a unifying force to pull everyone together.

11. Learn from mistakes. Sometimes, creating something new, you make mistakes. It is best to quickly recognize and eliminate them, improving your other designs as well.

12. Learn constantly. You can always learn "something else." Share your thoughts with others inside and outside your company. Learn from consumers, competitors, partners. If your partner is with people you don't love, learn to love them, praise them and benefit from all this. Learn to openly but honestly criticize your enemies.

83 rules of success from rich people

John Rockefeller (1839-1937) - American businessman and multimillionaire, a man whose name has become a symbol of wealth. ""

Wealth Rules by John Rockefeller:

1. Work less for someone (manager, director) you need to work only for yourself. Than longer time you don't work for yourself, the naturally worse your life

2. Be able to save money. Find where you can buy goods cheaper and in bulk. Make a shopping list in advance and buy what's on your list

3. If now you have little money - you need to do business. If you have no money at all, you need to do business urgently, do not postpone it, but right now.

4. The road to the greatest wealth lies through one path - passive income! The income that comes to you on its own, it works on autopilot. Create multiple sources passive income, enjoy life as you please.

5. Think about how to make $ 50,000 (fifty thousand dollars) a month. Only more. No less. This figure is recommended by John Rockefeller for a reason, but the fact is that the richest people in the world spend no more than $ 50,000 every month.

6. Communicate more. Money comes to your pocket through other people. People who are uncommunicative rarely become rich.

7. Poor environment constantly pulls into poverty. Even the richest people always have relatives, friends, and other beggars who, if you don’t obey them, will quickly empty your pockets, goals and dreams. If you are still poor, then for sure in your environment they simply do not like, do not respect, many even hate the rich. Always communicate only with Winners and Optimists.

8. Responsibility for your life - 100%. Poverty manifests itself if you avoid responsibility. Do not come up with any excuses why now you cannot begin to move towards your goal.

9. Learn from the best. Study the biographies, actions, thinking of the world's richest people.

10. Dreams are the most important thing in your Life. The main thing is to dream and believe that dreams will come true. A person begins to die when he stops dreaming or does not dream at all.

11. Help people. Not for something and not for money, but from a pure heart. Precisely to those people whom you yourself want to help. And this is not necessarily yours or someone's relatives or acquaintances. Give 10% of your profits to charity.

12. Create business systems, enjoy life, enjoy your earned money.

1. Many problems come from the mind. They are not the result of any event, failure, or the actions of others. They are due to our bad mental habits. Free yourself from these 10 behaviors, and immediately get rid of the many problems caused by each of them:

2. Don't jump to conclusions. This habit can make life difficult in two ways. First, we assume that we know what will happen, so we turn off our attention and begin to act on this assumption. People are worthless soothsayers. Most of their assumptions are wrong, and hence their actions are also wrong. The second side of this habit is that we imagined that we can read minds, and we seem to know why other people do, what they do, or what they think. Again, wrong, and fundamentally wrong. It is this stupidity that destroys relationships like no other.

3. Don't be dramatic. Many hype fatal disasters out of small failures, and react accordingly. The habit of making an elephant out of a fly creates anxiety that either does not exist or is so small that there is nothing to worry about. Why do they do this? Who knows? Maybe to look and feel more important. In any case, this is as stupid as it is disastrous.

4. Don't make up rules. A huge chunk of all the musts and musts that you run around with are probably useless. All they give you is nervousness and guilt. What for? By following these imaginary rules, you clog your brain with unnecessary obstacles and childish ways. And when you try to transfer those rules to others, you turn into a frightening boring whiner or overconfident fanatic.

5. Avoid stereotypes and labels. The words you use can set you up. The language of negativity and criticism breeds the same thinking. When you try to squeeze things into certain categories, you stop seeing their real meaning, thereby limiting your thinking to absolute uselessness. Look - what's there. Don't put up labels. You will be surprised at what you see.

6. Don't be a perfectionist. Life is not only "black or white" or "all or nothing". In most cases, “enough” means just enough. If you are looking for the perfect job, you will most likely never find one. At the same time, all other works will seem worse to you than they really are. You will be looking for the perfect relationship, and you will probably spend your entire life alone. Perfectionism is a mental illness that will not let you enjoy, but will send you in search of something that does not exist every time.

7. Don't generalize. One or two failures are not a sign of permanent failure. And accidental triumph does not turn you into a genius. A single event - good or bad - or even two or three events does not always indicate a lingering trend. Generally, things are what they are and nothing more.

8. Don't take it to heart. Most people, even your friends and colleagues, don't talk, think, or care about you 99% of the time. The people from your organization, or living in the neighborhood, have probably never even heard of you. Yes, in fact, he does not want to hear. The ups and downs of life, the warmth and indifference of other people have nothing to do with you personally. Faking it will only make you feel more unhappy than you need to.

9. Don't believe your emotions. How you feel is not always a true indicator of what is really happening. Just because you feel it doesn't mean it's true. Sometimes the source of emotions can be tiredness, hunger, irritation, or just a runny nose. Whether you feel good or bad, the future will not change. Feelings may be true, but they are not true.

10. Do not give in to apathy. Train to be optimistic. If you expect bad things in life and at work, you will find them. Negative attitudes are like looking at the world through distorting, dirty glasses. You will only notice flaws, not paying attention or not noticing everything else. It is simply amazing how you can see what is not, if you just start looking. And of course, if you start looking for positive things, you will find them too.

11. Don't live in the past. This advice is the most important of all: forget and move on. Most of the anger, frustration, unhappiness, and despair in this world comes from people holding onto past grievances and problems. The more you scroll through them in your mind, the larger they will appear to you, and the worse you will feel. Don't fight unhappiness. Forget and live on. Do this and thereby deprive him of the power to hurt you.

To begin with, we simply have to set a specific goal for ourselves - how much money we want to receive from our site. I will not open to you big secretif I say that in this life no one has achieved something by accident. Any success is solely the result of the goal that each individual person has set for himself, and therefore, the more significant your goal is, the more success you will achieve.

But remember that “big goal” and “unrealizable” are two huge differences!

3. Preparation.

I have already said this more than once, but I will still repeat - any work on a website begins with the birth of an idea. And this is not just a desire, which can be described by the words "I want a site, the same as ..." - here you substitute desired option... The best idea is the one that can be formulated as follows: "This has not happened yet, and I will be the first."

However, the originality of the idea is not yet a guarantee of a successful business. In addition to it, you should know the answer to one more question - “is your site necessary for network users who have already seen everything that can be seen and at whose disposal billions of existing sites?

I would recommend starting any Internet project with approbation. There are two options here - you can immediately send it to the network to see the reaction of users to your product: is it visited, is it necessary and interesting? Or by launching its test version, invite independent experts to evaluate it. Not your friends and relatives, who will evaluate your site solely from how they treat you, but people who do not know you, and therefore will be able to evaluate your work objectively.

In any case, in 2-3 months you will receive results that will allow you to judge the commercial prospects of the entire future project.

5. Attachments.

Alas, no serious Internet business is possible without money. Even if you think that you are a good programmer or copywriter, or a photographer, or a master of promotion, you still cannot cover everything. Therefore, initially determine the amount that you can invest in your site. Moreover, the best attitude to this money will not be as an investment, but to funds that you will lose with a 99% probability.

Accept the loss in advance, because only this will allow you to remain free in both decision-making and creativity.

7. Requirements for design and content.

8. "Who is there?"

9. The position of your site on the network.

When they go online, and, having typed the name of their product (service), see that your site is higher than the site of their company, they simply cannot help but pay attention to you. What is needed for this? Work hard and hard to make the site interesting to those who will become potential clients of your employers. That is why I want to tell all of you: if you do not feel the strength to create a site of the first magnitude, then initially give up trying to make money on it, as if you were wasting time.

And besides, the site is your brainchild, the result of months of hard work and sleepless nights, and no manager will ever worry about him as much as you.

12. Or just know how to wait.

After all, ultimately, the main thing in the success of any Internet project is not the actions that you take around it, but how you make the project itself. After all, it is he himself - his quality consisting of many components - that determines the profit he brings.

Stories of great fortune seem to be fictional - we are convinced that it is impossible to get rich by honest work. There are blank spots in the biographies of millionaires, but common character traits are clearly traced. They are single-minded, persistent and adventurous.

Most of the wealthy and successful people were born into ordinary families with an average income. So do most of us. And from childhood they were on an equal footing with their peers, had equal opportunities with them.

But then why did some become rich and others not? Why did some manage to get rich and others not, all other things being equal?

Rothschild clan

The Rothschild family tree began in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, where for several generations they lived in a nondescript house on the Judengasse. Jewish street was fenced off from the city on both sides, and a red sign hung on the house. It is to this circumstance that the family owes its surname: in translation from German, Rothschild is a red shield.

Mayer Rothschild, born in 1744, as a young man found the strength to change the usual bleak existence that his ancestors dragged out, and left for Hannover, more tolerant of Jews. For several years, Mayer studied banking with the Oppenheimer bankers, and when he returned to his home, he found the family completely impoverished. The house under the red sign had to be changed to a shack with a frying pan on the front. In this wretched building, Mayer opened a small firm selling antique coins. Young Rothschild was involved in the compilation of catalogs and delivery of coins to all corners of Germany. Collectors in those days were aristocrats, so Meyer acquired useful contacts in the highest circles of German society. One of Rothschild's clients was the Duke of Hanau Wilhelm, who purchased several expensive coins. Thanks to this "gesheft" Rothschild was able to equip a shop in the "house under the frying pan", where merchants exchanged the currency of different principalities of Germany.

The first Rothschild bank huddled on four square meters, but Meyer was purposeful and full of ideas: he continued to deal with collectible coins and bought out the shops of burned-out money changers. The founder of the banking house tirelessly traveled through numerous duchies and principalities, making deals and meeting influential people. The efforts were not in vain: already in 1769 the coat of arms of the Dukes of Hesse-Hanau flaunted above the Rothschild house with a golden inscription informing that Mayer Rothschild was the duke's manager.

Wilhelm was an atypical aristocrat - he did not hesitate to issue loans at interest and rent out entire companies of assassin mercenaries. In short, the duke was extremely covetous, and half of the European rulers owed him money.

Mayer Rothschild, who carried out the orders of the duke-money-grubber, did a good job of collecting debts. The family moved to good house under a green sign and the Rothschilds began to be called Grunschilds. True, it was decided not to change the surname. The events described can be considered the foundation of the future prosperity of the family, but the real breakthrough was made by Mayer's five sons, raised by Pope Rothschild. The offspring became the real financial tycoons of Europe. As the biographer of the Rothschild clan wrote, the family grew rich every time any of the states collapsed.

The first was the Kingdom of Denmark, which collapsed in 1804. Wilhelm, already familiar to us, borrowed money for his uncle - the king of Denmark. In order not to tarnish his aristocratic name, Wilhelm commissioned five Rothschilds Jr. to charge interest on the loan, and they coped with the debut brilliantly. This is how the Rhodschild banking house was founded, which opened a Swiss branch 150 years later. Since then, the Rothschilds have not gone out of the ranks of the richest people in the world, maintaining their corporate style of doing business. The Bank of Zurich, for example, accepts only those clients whose fortune exceeds 1 million Swiss francs.

The Rothschilds work with exceptional clients and never waste their time on trivia. In their tenacious hands are the largest banks in France and Great Britain, railway complexes, mining concerns, oil companies, diamond mines and much more. At the same time, representatives of a noble family actively influence world politics, while remaining in the shadows.

The Rothschild Empire is indestructible and all-powerful. The secret of power, of course, lies in the business sense passed down from generation to generation. But no less significant factor is dedication to the family idea. All family members, with rare exceptions, multiplied the clan's fortune. For more than two hundred years, the world has been watching the prosperity of the Rothschild clan, many hate them, but everyone needs the clan's patronage and money.

Francois Pinault

One of the most influential and wealthy citizens of France: a collector who owns the Christie's auction house, the Gucci brand, the Chateau-Latour vineyards and the capital's Marigny theater.

In 1936, in French Brittany, a son was born into the family of a simple forester. Father struggled to make ends meet, but turned inside out so that François became a graduate. The young man did not appreciate parental efforts, and at the age of 16 he left school and left home. Pino did not want to study, he wanted to do only what he liked and could bring good profits. The studies would have taken too long, and he still prides himself on the fact that his only diploma is a driving license. Francois Pinault did not want to drag out the gray existence of a worker, and his relatives vied with each other to teach him about life. Having quarreled with everyone and striving for independent life, the young man left for Algeria.

What the future millionaire did in the French colony is unknown. There was a war in Algeria, and, as Pino's enemies believe, he traded weapons and drugs for three years. We hardly ever know the details of François's Algerian period, but now it doesn't matter. In any case, Pino returned to France as a different person - he had money, self-confidence and grandiose plans.

François, 27, started the Pinault group, a timber trading company. Business contacts and useful acquaintances began to be established. One of these promising contacts was an acquaintance with a promising politician Jacques Chirac. No one can say for sure what united the impulsive Chirac and the rational Pinault, perhaps the first was struck by François's unerring business instinct. There are legends about his stock market foresight. Before the stock market crash in 1973, Pinault suddenly sold the prosperous Pinault Group for 30 million francs, and a year later bought his brainchild for just 5 million. Thus, within a year he managed to earn more than his income in the previous 5 years. And in 1976, François dissuaded Prime Minister Jacques Chirac from a business trip. It soon turned out that the train was mined by terrorists. Since then, Chirac has been confident that he owes his life to François. It may be a coincidence, but since that incident, things have gone even better for Pino.

The measured life of a respectable 52-year-old father of four children became boring, and he set about making his youthful dream come true. He wanted great wealth, and chose to play on the stock exchange as a way of getting rich.

Paris Bourse and Francois Pinault

It is quite natural that Pinault's famous flair made him one of the most successful speculators on the stock exchange: he bought and sold enterprises with constant success (see ""). The morality of his operations raises doubts, however, such categories are alien to stockists.

In 1989, Paul Paoli, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Franco-African Trade Union, offered François Pinault a stake in the capital. Pinault started with 20%, and after a few months decided to join Acquisition to the Pinault group. The directors, including Paoli, were immediately fired, and Pino's company took over the African supply of electrical equipment.

The successful takeover spurred Pino, and in 1991, in violation of the law, acquired the American Executive Life. The profit from the deal ranged from 1 to 2 billion dollars, and the fine was only $ 185 million. With the billions he earned, Pino bought the retail chain Conforama, and a year later - the largest department store Printemps, then the La Redoute chain and the bookstores Fnac. Each time, he fired top managers, putting his people in their places. François Pinault's Pinault-Printemps-Redoute group is now one of the most powerful associations retail in France. But the billionaire does not stop, continuing to buy everything, for which he deservedly bears the nickname Octopus.

Pinot in "art"

The nouveau riche Pino became interested in collecting and fashion. Having started buying paintings, in 1998 he decided to take ownership of Christie’s. This auction house, together with Sotheby's, controls 90% of all transactions. Getting closer to the art world did not change François's methods of work: he fired almost all of the management, and set up a hotel at Christie’s headquarters. Everyone talked about the dishonesty of François Pinault, who drowns competitors indiscriminately, but Christie’s revenue of $ 1.4 billion, apparently, left no doubt about the correctness of the chosen path.

In the world of high fashion, the billionaire does not stand on ceremony either. Acting in a favorite way, Octopus acquired Gucci Group, Yves Saint Laurent, Sergio Rossi, Bedat & Co, Stella McCartney, Balenciaga and Puma, and others. He has a majority stake in the Redcats catalog and the largest chain of stores FNAC. It's hard to say what Pino did not get to, but there is no doubt that he will not fail to chop off everything that is bad and deserves attention.

True, in 2003, Pinault handed over the reins to his eldest son François-Henri and took up the world's best vineyard, Chateau-Latour, and collecting works of art. François Pinault has achieved perfection in the ability to "occupy all the burners with their pots". This French proverb fully characterizes the lifestyle of this billionaire: to use every opportunity.

Ingmar Kamprad

Everyone knows the name IKEA, but few know the name of the company's founder. Many generations of the Kamprads have succeeded in business, so it can be assumed that Ingmar inherited the entrepreneurial streak. True, there were black stripes in family history. So, the grandfather of the founder of IKEA committed suicide when his company was threatened with bankruptcy. Then the grandmother took matters into her own hands and was able to keep the business. Ingvar loves to tell this story, considering it the best proof that work and perseverance can help overcome all obstacles.

Ingvar Kamprad entered the account in 1926 in the Swedish province of Smalandia. From young nails, he showed commercial inclinations: at school he sold matches, pencils and other little things, bought in bulk. While his classmates were just preparing to enter adulthood, Ingvar earned money for his first company, which he opened at the age of 15.

It's hard to believe, but Kamprad founded when he was only 17 years old - in 1943. The name of the company consists of the initial letters of his first and last name, the third letter E is from Elmtaryd (as the family farm was called), the ending A is Agunnaryd (the village closest to the farm).

At first, IKEA was engaged in the sale of various little things like paper clips and socks. Ingmar published a catalog and orders began to arrive by mail, and the milkman delivered them, who still traveled around the district every day. 1951 can be considered the beginning furniture business Kamprada - a dormant factory was bought, production started and the first catalog released. Just a couple of years later, the first store selling IKEA furniture opened its doors, and five years later a huge complex with an area of \u200b\u200babout 7,000 square meters opened its doors. m.

Furniture prices were low from the beginning, which was not to the liking of other furniture makers. Many refused to supply their goods to Ingmar stores, but this only strengthened the position of IKEA. Kompard's innovative strategy was to buy parts and components from countries with cheap production. IKEA furniture is traditionally democratic, inexpensive and comfortable. The combination of these qualities makes IKEA products super popular.

The founder of IKEA does not like luxury, and his tight-fistedness is well known. When going on business trips, the billionaire always stays in 3-star hotels, uses public transport, eats in cafes and inexpensive restaurants, and always trades in supermarkets. He himself says that in this way he studies requests ordinary people, which make up the bulk of IKEA buyers.

Now Ingvar Kamprad is 89 years old, and he handed over the management of the business to his sons. The billionaire himself believes that his success is due to the constant dissatisfaction with what has been achieved. He always treated his company like a child: sometimes a weighed slap on the head does not mean a lack of love at all.

The founder of IKEA does not have a higher education diploma, and school teachers barely taught him to read and write. But a talented entrepreneur has always brilliantly coped with the most difficult tasks, unmistakably finding original marketing moves. Ingvar Kamprad's enthusiasm, humility and sharp mind raised him to a level that few could reach. Ingmar loves to be put on a par with Henry Ford, who also made luxury items available to most people.

John Paul DeJoria

John Paul DeJoria's company produces the famous JPM Systems (John Paul Mitchell Systems) shampoo with an annual turnover of $ 900 million. Billionaire DeJoria is respected by all charities in the world, and he also took care of pets, developing a line of care products for them. In a word, John Paul readily helps everyone who needs his support. As it often happens, a person who has not been treated kindly by fate since childhood, treats other people's problems with understanding.

John Paul's parents separated when he was barely 2 years old, so already as a child, the boy was forced to earn money selling Christmas greeting cards. After 10 years, the child was taken in by a foster family. The beginning of the life of the future billionaire was not cloudless: he was a member of a Los Angeles gang and only his military service saved him from a criminal future. After serving, Dejorio set out to go into business, but he had no money or relatives to lend.

John Paul borrowed $ 700 from a bank and started a shampoo company. He personally had to sell products, literally, moving from office to office. The car was both his home and his means of transportation, but John Paul is not one to retreat in the face of difficulties. He was confident in the quality of his shampoo, purposeful and persistent. We now know that these qualities, combined with talent and inspiration, made Dejoria a billionaire.

Many people dream of fame, wealth and happiness. However, not everyone succeeds in achieving something in life. From the article you will learn about how successful people became successful, how to find the main secrets and principles of good luck.

Age-old mystery

Thousands of thinkers, scientists and ordinary people are trying to create a universal path to victory. Some believe that the only way to achieve your goal in life is through hard work. Others are sure that people receive a "ticket" from fortune from birth. Still others are convinced that a person becomes great only through mystical coincidences. But the persons who actually succeeded know that they will only help to catch the "firebird" with all these points together.

Absolutely everyone is sure that everything depends on a particular person and his ability to recognize and use the chances that fate offers. Of course, it is impossible to reach heights in one hour or in several lessons on the topic "How to become a successful person" from a famous lucky person. But if you strive for this and read the relevant literature, communicate with interesting people, then there is every chance to change your life for the better.

In any case, there are rules that unite all rich and beautiful men and women among themselves. The first secret is that you need to set goals and priorities correctly. Immediately think about who you want to be, for example, in 10-20 years, what you need to do to achieve what you want. Start with small tasks. If they are successful, then keep working in the same spirit.

Second secret: when you go towards your goal, do not waste time on things that make you vulnerable and insecure. Try to avoid people who do not share your ideas. The ability to deal with difficulties, criticism and temptations are the main qualities successful person... Remember: no matter how hard you try, there are people who will not appreciate your work.

Third secret: don't put things off until later. Enthusiasm and ideas often lose out to laziness and lack of initiative, so try to cultivate punctuality and patience. After all, men and women with such traits are valued in the world.

Computer genius

The idol of many dreamers is Bill Gates. The story of this man is fascinating and instructive. He was born into a wealthy family. My father worked as a successful lawyer, and my mother was actively involved in charity work. The boy lived in a good neighborhood and attended an excellent school. Since childhood, parents have tried to instill in their son the spirit of competition. The relatives made sure that the boy strived for science. Little Bill loved to play various games, in which he was often the winner.

Already at the age of 10, the boy decided that he would enter the circle in which there are successful people. His father was an example to follow. Therefore, instead of sports games and having fun with friends, the boy read a lot and devoted time to study.

Ironically, the school had one of the very first computers. Even then, he was interested in a unique car. Intuitively, he felt that the software would change the world, not the devices on which they were installed. It was during this time that Bill created his first projects. The director encouraged the students with awards. For his work, the boy received the first 500 dollars at the age of 15. After graduating from school, the guy set a goal for himself - to make money from programming. It should be noted that not all the people around him believed in Bill's strength.

Target and means

Parents who knew nothing about computers were against such a desire. They believed that successful people could not do such a thing, and saw their son as a lawyer. The young man entered Harvard. On university machines, he continued to write programs. He invested the money he earned for his ideas in the business. In 1975, Bill and a friend opened their own firm, which they called Microsoft. Often a genius worked so hard and diligently that he fell asleep right in the office. Harvard guy dropped out. His parents did not share his choice, but the computer genius did not give up.

Bill Gates knew how to become a successful person. The man's secret was hard work and fabulous ambition.

In 1978, there were 11 people in the Microsoft office. Today, 90% of computer users have the software his firm created.

In the history of this genius there were ups and downs, but he confidently walked towards his goal. Several times Bill Gates topped the list of the richest people in the world. Now the multibillionaire donates significant funds to charity. He donates millions to the poor and disadvantaged. His new target in life - to save the world.

Grief as an incentive

The most successful people work in different directions. If Bill Gates became a computer genius, then in the world of the book, J.K. Rowling takes the lead.

The future writer was born into a simple family. Her homeland was the county of Gloucestershire, which is located in England. She had a younger sister. It was to her that the author read her first stories. When she was 5-6 years old, Joan wrote a fairy tale. Childhood could not be called sweet. The family often did not have enough money. The girl was afraid of her father because of her complex nature. And her mother, whom she loved very much, died when Joan was 25 years old. She endured the tragedy very hard. But it was this death that pushed her to work. It should be noted that before dramatic changes, almost all successful people in the world are experiencing something terrible and unusual.

A few months before the disaster, she, rushing on the train, imagined a dark-haired boy who had just learned that he was a wizard. At that moment, the novelist did not have a pen with her, so more and more vivid images appeared in her head.

Creativity is a pill for depression

She wrote the book very slowly. Behind a short time Rowling survived the death of her mother, divorce from her husband who beat her, and moving back to England. A woman with a small child, whom she gave birth to in 1993, lived very poorly. She suffered from severe depression for some time. Therefore, a lot of dark and evil characters appeared in the draft of the Harry Potter book.

The life of successful people is not always easy. But this writer did not give up and continued to create. She was empowered by the dream that her novel would be published. The story that the world admires today was at first a kind of Joan's diary. In it, she solved her problems with the help of fantastic situations. Work saved her from pain and suffering. The woman wrote when the child was asleep after walking.

In 1995, Rowling finished her first book. However, none of the publishers she contacted agreed to publish the story. One day, "Harry Potter" fell into the hands of the daughter of one of the editors. It was the interest of this girl that contributed to the novel's release. More than 400 million copies have now been sold. The writer is one of the richest women in Britain.

Charity

For a while a lot of friends and even strangers asked a famous author for money. Almost all successful people in the world face this situation. The woman helped many. But Joan is of the opinion that big money spoils personality. The writer herself lives quite modestly and very rarely, despite her financial situation, allows herself expensive things.

Weekly at mailbox the writer receives thousands of letters. Some of them are from fans. Others are from various organizations that are asking for help. At first, Rowling gave funds to everyone. But then I realized that it would not be able to help someone in particular. She later decided to create her own charitable foundation. Almost all successful people turn to this practice. Her organization is fighting multiple sclerosisfrom which her mother died.

No age limits

Everyone has long known that making a dream come true and a small triumph make a person not only happy, but also improve his health. There is a great example that success can be achieved regardless of age and background. This is a unique person named Grandma Moses.

This American woman was born back in 1860. From childhood I loved to draw. She worked hard on the farm all her life. She became an exemplary mother of five children and a good person. She had no time for her favorite hobby.

The woman retired and started painting. My grandmother was in her 70s when a collector from New York liked her work. Simple, soulful landscapes immediately conquered the world. Exhibitions of the artist's paintings were held all over the world. The woman created about 1600 canvases and died at 101.

It should be noted that in 2004 her work "The Old Colorful House, 1862" sold at auction for $ 60,000. The story of Grandma Moses proves that the activity of a successful person does not depend on age.

Description of goals

The secret of luck is unique to everyone. Someone needs a good chance and useful connections to make their dreams come true. Others have a lot of time and lots of opportunities. But in any case, without colossal work, energy and ambition, it is impossible to wake up and become famous in one day.

For many people, happiness and success are not measured in the amount of money in the bank account, not in the army of fans who are on duty at the door. There are people for whom luck lies in fulfilling their dream, no matter how strange it may seem to others. The first want simple family comfort, the second - career growth, the third - the ability to freely travel around the world. For each individual person, the triumph has its own characteristic.

Stories of how successful people became successful is a step that can bring you closer to your goal. It doesn't matter what a person puts before himself. If his aspirations are pure and light, sincere work and circumstances will contribute to their realization.

Albert Einstein is the most prominent example of great losers, earning the top spot on the list. As a child, he began to speak only at 4 years old and could not learn to read until 7 years old. He studied so poorly that teachers (and his parents) considered him "stupid" and "mentally retarded" and said that he would never achieve anything.
But Einstein simply thought differently. In 1921 he received the Nobel Prize in Physics for his explanation of the photoelectric effect and "for his service to theoretical physics." Theoretical physicist, one of the founders of modern theoretical physics, public figure-humanist, honorary doctor of about 20 leading universities in the world, member of many Academies of Sciences, author of more than 300 scientific works and about 150 books and articles in various fields, who developed several significant physical theories and predicted "quantum teleportation", is today considered one of the most prominent scientists of the 20th century.

Walt Disney

The man who gave the world Disneyland and one of the most iconic figures of mass culture - Mickey Mouse, was fired from the newspaper for "lack of imagination and lack of original ideas". His first animation studio went bankrupt. According to legend, Disney was turned down 302 times before it received funding to create Disneyland.
Today it is difficult for us to imagine our childhood without the amazing cartoons of this great producer, director, screenwriter and animator. And although one of the most famous cartoonists of all times and peoples has undergone more than one collapse of several of his undertakings, today the corporation known as The Walt Disney Company makes an average of about $ 30 billion a year.

Bill Gates

The most obscenely richest man in the world was expelled from Harvard University, where he is still called "The Most Successful Expelled."
The founder and largest shareholder of Microsoft, who literally changed the entire global culture of the 20th century by simplifying the use of computers, has been considered the richest person on the planet for more than 10 years, whose fortune in 2012 was estimated by Forbes magazine at $ 66 billion.
The funny thing is that when he started a software company (which Microsoft became), he bought software from "someone" for only $ 50.

Steve Jobs

Six months after entering Reed College, Jobs was expelled, although he attended some classes for a whole year with the dean's permission. At the age of 30, he was unceremoniously "by default" removed from the company he founded. But his rather short academic history did not pass by.
Chances are, Apple Computer, iMac, and iPad would not have seen their existence if Steve Jobs had stayed in college. And Mac wouldn’t have many fonts if it hadn’t been caught up in a calligraphy course in Reed.

Winston Churchill

Little Winston Churchill did poorly at school and had speech problems. In the 6th grade, he was the last in academic performance, exams at the Royal Military School, where he also did not shine with success, he passed only on the third attempt and lost in every state position he held.
However, at the age of 62, Churchill became British Prime Minister during World War II. Today he is recognized as one of the most significant leaders in British and world history.

Thomas Edison

As a child, Edison's teacher once told him that he was too dumb to learn anything. And also, before the appearance of the first working light bulb, he created about 9 thousand unsuccessful experiments.
Given all this, the list of successful losers would not be complete without Thomas Edison, the owner of 1,093 patents, who gave the world a host of inventions that would radically change life in the 20th century.
Although, they say that Edison was still that crook and swindler who stole all his inventions from other scientists ...

Steven Spielberg

Leaving school in early age, he was persuaded to return to a class for children with learning difficulties. But this happiness did not last long either. A month later, he was again expelled forever. But it was not this that saddened Steven Spielberg most of all, but the inability to enter the film school at the University of Southern California, which he dreamed of. He was refused three times, explaining that he was "too talentless."
Instead, Spielberg enrolled at the University of California at Long Beach, and ended up directing the biggest blockbusters in film history, worth $ 2.7 billion, 3 Oscars, a Legion of Honor, Medal of Freedom, and an honorary degree in 1994. year from film school, which refused him three times.

Marilyn Monroe

All her life, wandering through foster families, at the suggestion of a photographer from a military magazine, Norma Jeane Mortenson, decided to try her luck in Hollywood. In 1947, a year after signing the contract, 20th Century-Fox turned the young actress down, considering her unattractive and unable to play.
Ultimately, Marilyn Monroe became the most popular blonde of humanity, one of the most iconic actresses, pop idol and sex symbol of all times and peoples.

Soichiro Honda

After World War II, Soichiro Honda was turned down when he was interviewed for an engineer position at Toyota Motor Corporation.
The unemployed self-taught mechanic began making motorcycles that his neighbors bought, which led to the founding of his own company, Honda, which grew into the largest international industrial car and motorcycle company, surpassed GM and Chrysler, and made its founder a billionaire.

Fred Astaire

At the first screenings of Fred Astaire, the judges wrote in the report: “Can't play. Can't sing. Lysovat. Dances a little. "
Today, Astaire is a dancing and singing legend of cinema, one of the most outstanding dancers of all times and peoples, and in addition, the greatest heartthrob.

Oprah Winfrey

Once upon a time, Oprah Winfrey was fired from her job as a television reporter, motivated by the fact that she was "not suitable for television."
Today, Oprah is synonymous with modern television, thanks to her talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show. She is perceived as a very influential person who inspires people with her positive and optimistic programs.

Vincent van gogh

Throughout his life, the unrecognized genius Vincent Van Gogh sold only one painting, and even then to his friend. Very often the artist went hungry, but created about 800 paintings that no one needed.
Today he is considered a classic of Post-Impressionism, one of the most outstanding artists of all time and peoples, who created priceless works of art, the most expensive of which is estimated at $ 142.7 million.

Henry Ford

The first Ford company went bankrupt. The second he threw himself because of disagreements. The third went downhill due to the decline in sales.
All this did not stop Henry Ford on the path to creating the Ford Motor Company, the first in the world to use an assembly line in the production of affordable cars. He not only revolutionized the industry in the United States and Europe, but also enormously influenced the economy and society of the 20th century. The combination of mass production, high wages and low prices gave birth to the concept of "Fordism", making him one of the three most famous and wealthy people in the world at the time.

Joanne Rowling

At some point in her life, J.K. Rowling sat without a penny, deeply depressed, divorced, unemployed, forced to raise her daughter on her own on social security, along the way creating the manuscript of the first book about Harry Potter. To make life not seem entirely sweet, this manuscript was rejected by 12 publishers.
Today, Rowling is an internationally recognized genius for 7 books about Harry Potter, which has become a global brand valued at 15 billion dollars. This is the first time a billionaire has made a living from writing.

Stephen King

Stephen King could be the record holder for publisher rejections. His first novel, Kerry, was rejected 30 times. Therefore, King threw the manuscript into the trash bin, from which it was later retrieved by his wife and, apparently, not in vain.
About 50 of his novels have sold approximately 350 million copies worldwide. It is he, the king of horror who made us afraid of clowns ...

Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan said: “I have not scored more than 9,000 goals in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I was given the responsibility to score the winning goal, and I missed. I have failed over and over again and that's why I got such success. " But few people know that back in school, Jordan was kicked out of the school basketball team for "lack of skill." Then he returned home, locked himself in his room and sobbed all day.
But, as time passed, and Michael Jordan became the greatest basketball player of all time, whose proud 23rd number was eager to be worn on their jersey by all boys keen on sports. This phenomenal athlete, combining a unique combination of grace, speed, strength, skill, the ability to improvise and an unquenchable thirst for competition, without outside help managed to redefine the concept of an NBA superstar.

"The Beatles"

It is hard to believe that the four music enthusiasts were turned down by many record companies, claiming that "guitar bands are out of date." And Decca Recording Studios said, “We don't like their sound. They have no future in show business. "
Who knew that the Beatles would sign a contract with EMI, bring Beattlemania to the States and become the greatest band in music history, whose fame will shake many generations long after the band broke up.