“You just can’t beat the person who won’t give up.” ~Babe Ruth

Ever have one of those days where you feel like giving up? You’re not alone. Of course, it might help to know that not everyone succeeds on the first try.  In fact, “insta-success” is rare.

Part of the problem with our society is that we see and hear about so many people who seem to “make it” overnight. It feels unfair! And if we’re being honest, it’s hard to stay motivated when we feel like everything is going wrong.

But the good news is that persistence tends to pay off – even for people who might have been called things like “slow” and “unimaginative.” You will be shocked when you see who some of these people are!

Stay Motivated with These Top Tips from the World’s Most Motivated People

Below you’ll find some tips geared toward success from some people who stayed motivated – and eventually reached their goals.

1. Find your drive. Henry Ford knew he was destined for great things – it just took him a while to figure out what those things were. The founder of the Ford Motor Company which changed product manufacturing techniques across all industries tried to make a success of five separate businesses before his work in the automotive industry. Every one of the businesses failed. It took some serious soul searching and a great deal of passion for him to move on past those losses. As we know now, Ford did not give up – and he believed that he would succeed. And he did. So it’s no surprise that he once said, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, either way you are right.”

2. Work your goals – every day. Would you believe me if I told you that Walt Disney was once fired by a newspaper editor because “he lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” It’s true! And what a good thing that he didn’t take it to heart. The negative message didn’t daunt Disney. The man had a dream – and the motivation to achieve it. He knew he could do it – once saying, “All of our dreams come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” Pursue his dream, he did. By being persistent, Disney was able to take his ideas and vision and turn them into a company worth $92 BILLION today.

3. Have a support crew. Soichiro Honda once applied to work as an engineer at Toyota. He didn’t get the job, sadly. But he did not give up! In fact, when he wasn’t hired by Toyota, he started making scooters out of his home. This thrilled the people around him, who encouraged him to start his own business. The rest, shall we say, is history.  Honda, like most of the people on this list today, was a visionary thinker who believed in shaking things up. “We only have one future, and it will be made of our dreams, if we have the courage to challenge convention,” Honda once said. Having strong support helped motivate Honda to where he created one of the biggest automotive empires in the world.

4. Challenge yourself – It is always shocking to me when I think about the fact that Albert Einstein was actually considered to be an idiot and “unteachable” by his early school teachers. Imagine what life would be like if he’d listened to them! I mean, the world would have missed out on one of the greatest minds of the 20^thcentury. Learning wasn’t easy for Einstein, who once said, “Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.” But then again, he proved that being creative, persistent and pushing yourself to get better is what leads to success. That takes motivation.

5. Have a deeper purpose. The great Sidney Poitier could have been stuck with a mediocre life that left him miserable and unsatisfied. After all, he was born in 1927 in the Bahamas – and sadly, being born black in an era steeped in racism and fear made Poitier’s goals seem nearly impossible. When he told others of his dream to be a serious actor, they told him to stop wasting his time. But he wasn’t deterred! This talented man had something to offer the world and he had a talent that was unmatched. He was motivated to create the life he wanted, and he darn well did it – even at a time when, by societal standards, he shouldn’t have been able to do it. One of his best-known quotes proves that he made his choices intentionally: “I am the me I choose to be.” He is recognized as one of the world’s great actors today, and there is no doubt that his deep sense of purpose is what led to his success.

6. Keep learning. When F. W. Woolworth got his first job, he wasn’t allowed to wait on customers because, according to his supervisor, he was a terrible salesman. This apparently didn’t stop Woolworth, who went about the business of learning how to sell things. Once he’d perfected his sales skills, Woolworth went on to found an empire of more than 1,000 Woolworth stores worldwide. His stores priced merchandise at five and ten cents. He ended up sort of launching a revolutionary new practice in the retail industry – one that would change everything! Woolworth was the creator now-common practices of buying merchandise directly from manufacturers and setting standard prices on items, rather than haggling, which was common in his day. Today, the company he founded, F.W. Woolworth Company is known as Foot Locker.

The bottom line? Motivation isn’t something that you’re born with; it’s something you cultivate. By following these tips, you’re guaranteed to keep your own motivation high – which is the first step in accomplishing great things. Are you with me?

Share your thoughts, ideas and experiences in the comments section below – and let’s talk about it!