Over the years, after talking with tens of thousands of entrepreneurs, artists and creatives, almost every success story we’ve heard has been filled with stories of failure. Unfortunately, in our view the media rarely covers these parts of the story – instead we often read summaries that make it seem like success happened “overnight.” However, what we’ve learned in our conversations with so many successful folks is that failure is core ingredient in the recipe for future success. Below, we’ve shared some fascinating stories of failure from folks who have ultimately found great success.

Suzie O’connell

After self-publishing my 13th novel (make of that what you will), I burned out. Hardcore. As in I… could… not… write. Characters and stories that have been chattering away in my mind since I first learned how to construct a story fell silent. It is perhaps the single most disorienting thing I’ve ever experienced, like a massive piece of who I am was just… gone. Read more>>

Ryan Plummer

I wanted to be a sports photographer and decided to live and work in Australia. I had a very clear vision. I had saved and saved to buy the right gear. I was in the right place. Now it was a matter of making the contacts. I was bold and determined, so much so that I snuck into a professional rugby game. Not long into the game I was singled out and asked for my accreditation, which I did not have. Since I was already there, I was simply asked to spend the rest of the game on the opposite sideline. While photographing there, I struck up a conversation with another shooter eventually asking “If I were looking for work, who should I talk to?” He pointed to a photographer across the field. Read more>>

D’nai Walker

Failure isn’t something I often talk about openly, but it’s an inevitable part of life. My career journey is a testament to that. I’ve been fired and laid off from several sales positions over the years. At first, it felt like one setback after another. I had “ended up” in sales without much thought or intention, and the truth was, I didn’t enjoy it. I wasn’t passionate about pushing products or closing deals, and I often let opportunities slip away because the work didn’t align with my values. Read more>>