Key Messages
6 Incredible True Stories Of Mentorship, Success, And Inspiration
Having someone who can inspire and motivate you to pursue your dreams can be invaluable.
It’s not always easy to find a mentor in life, but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn from others and apply their life lessons to our own lives.
The stories found in Getting There showcase six successful individuals who have walked along different roads, tackling individual challenges along the way- but all with the same inspiring source of motivation: their own drive for success.
We can learn from each one of these stories and use them as our mentor as we shape our own paths toward greatness.
We’ll read about how military values inspired an artist, how inadequate communication spurred the creation of Craigslist, and more.
Ultimately, it’s these strong sources of inspiration that encourage us to keep pushing ourselves towards achieving what we want out of life.
A mentor can inspire you to never give up on your goals – no matter how daunting they may seem!
Nitin Nohria Proves That Sometimes It Takes A Change Of Path To Make Your Dreams Come True
Nitin Nohria, Harvard Business School’s dean, grew up looking up to his engineer father and admired the successes of his life.
Thinking that maybe he too could become an engineer just like his dad, Nitin studied engineering in hopes of making his father proud.
Unfortunately, while Nitin excelled in his humanities classes, he struggled when it came to science- which led him to switch to a degree in management instead.
Thinking that this could be a new path for him and hoping to make something of himself, Nitin accepted a fellowship at MIT and moved to the United States.
He worked hard during this time and ultimately completed his doctorate in management from MIT ,also went on to receive offers from prestigious universities such as Harvard Business School- where he serves as Dean today.
Though Nitin didn’t follow the same exact path as his dad did before him, it was with the same drive and determination that enabled him live out what is known as the American Dream.
His story shows that even if you don’t have an ideal mentor like Nitin had with his father in your own life, it doesn’t mean you cannot achieve success on your own term.
How Marina Abramović Transform Hardships Into Successful Career Through Performance Art
Performance artist Marina Abramović was born in Belgrade, Serbia, and had an upbringing characterized by emotional hardship.
Her parents were often absent, and when they were present their parenting style revolved around control and order.
A germophobe, her mother was strict with her daughter.
For many of her early years she spent much of her time alone- but instead of being hindered by this, she used it to teach herself to draw and paint at age three.
At just twelve years old she held her first art show and went on to study the subject in Belgrade and Zagreb.
Whether by looking up at planes streaking above or her own body, Abramović discovered that anything could be a source of art.
Not only did she realize this during a time where this would be met with ridicule but she drew on the tough times from childhood to create emotionally driven performances where she pushed the boundaries on both mind and body.
Today an internationally acclaimed performance artist, Marina Abramović’s story is a testament to what can be accomplished when a troubled childhood is channeled into art.
Craig Newmark Transformed Struggling Teenage Nerd Into Connecting People With His Innovative Idea Of Craigslist
Growing up as a self-described “computer nerd,” teenagers have it tough.
With awkward social skills, Craig Newmark often felt excluded and alone.
It wasn’t until he had a realization during a class discussion that something which had been holding him back — poor communication skills.
He saw the internet was something he could take advantage of to help connect people and make them feel involved in a way he always wished to be.
That’s when he began sending emails that included tips on upcoming art and technology events.
These emails were so popular more people started asking if they could sign up, leading to more than just event information being sent out—it also contained job openings, services and even sales ads!
Eventually this became what we now know as Craigslist with its motto “give people a break” connected by Newmark’s desire to build community spirit in urban areas all over the world.
His idea has not only seen great success but has provided countless of people an opportunity to communicate with one another, creating solutions to everyday problems they might otherwise never have thought of.
Did Wendy Kopp Turn Ambition Into Success?
Wendy Kopp’s story is a testament to the power of staying true to your ideals, even when others tell you they are unrealistic.
Despite doubts from her professors that she would never be able to raise $2.5 million for her project, Kopp refused to give up.
She approached CEOs and business leaders, but was met with rejection after rejection.
Rather than lowering her sights, Kopp decided to take initiative and recruited graduates herself.
When the media got wind of her story, she finally attracted the attention of potential donors who eventually gave her enough money for her project – Teach For America – to take off.
Kopp showed everyone that aspiring for something greater does not mean being unrealistic with your expectations; it means staying determined even when people tell you that your dreams are too lofty.
In the end, Wendy Kopp proved that being idealistic doesn’t necessarily mean being unrealistic.
Sara Blakely’S Incredible Journey From Failed Law School Dreams To Billionaire Entrepreneur
Sara Blakely had her heart set on becoming a lawyer when she grew up, inspired by the work of her father.
But when it came to the tests needed for admission into law school, she failed not once, but twice – prompting her to put aside this ambition and take up a less-than-inspiring job selling fax machines door-to-door.
Despite the rejection and closed doors that she faced daily in her job, Blakely was determined not to give away to discouragement.
Little did she know that a simple wardrobe change would spark an idea that would revolutionize the market and make her one of America’s youngest female billionaires.
One day while getting dressed for a party, Blakely had an epiphany when seeing how flattering cutting off the feet of pantyhose made them look beneath an outfit.
She realized this could be a product she could develop and sell – comfortable but invisible shapewear – making use of her newfound immunity to rejection.
Blakely used every last bit of determination to create something out of nothing, until someone finally took notice and gave her prototype a chance – leading to the production of Spanx we all know today!
This story goes to show how Blakely didn’t let prior failures define her path in life; instead,she embraced them as learning experiences so that by pure chance she discovered what she was truly meant for.
John Paul Dejoria’s Inspiring Journey From Homelessness To Success Through Helping Others
John Paul DeJoria may not have had much while growing up but what he did have was a remarkable work ethic.
His mother taught him at an early age that true success is never measured in money, but rather through hard work and happiness.
Despite having just a few dimes to name, DeJoria never gave up and worked his way up from the bottom by taking on odd jobs such as making flower boxes and selling encyclopedias door-to-door.
Through these various roles, he learned the importance of helping customers make the right decision – something that eventually led him to co-found John Paul Mitchell Systems – one of America’s biggest professional hair care companies.
Although his success was undeniable, DeJoria still remembered to keep his feet on the ground; even when John Paul Mitchell Systems started to take off, he continued living out of his car!
Nowadays, DeJoria has a range of other successful businesses such as Patrón Tequila and diamond trading – but no matter how successful he gets, he’s always stayed true to his principles of working hard and helping people make good decisions.
Wrap Up
The final takeaway from the book, Getting There, is that success in any venture takes determination and a lifetime of learning.
Whether mentors faced childhood adversity or found inspiration, they stay resilient to achieve their goals.
One of the key pieces of advice from this book is to never stop learning and you should always speak up.
The book encourages those who face obstacles to remember life’s lessons and find meaningful solutions through optimism and enthusiasm.
That way, we can shape our lives and create success in whatever venture we wish to pursue.
