athletes
his performance at the 2000 NFL Combine was laughably unathletic, and he got low marks from scouts and coaches because he seemed to take forever to throw and run.
Tom Brady
fired from one of his first animation jobs at the Kansas City Star newspaper because his editor felt he "lacked imagination and had no good ideas,"
Walt Disney
Known for his role in "The Amazing Spider-Man" this actor was told he was not handsome enough to make it as a Hollywood actor.
Andrew Garfield
At the young age of 19, she was signed to Island Def Jam records. But just three months after landing a major record deal, they dropped her.
Lady Gaga
After becoming paralyzed in a car accident she was told she would never walk again but her passion and determination for her sport led her to never give in to her struggles after her accident. later she would secure a spot in the top 5 for the Rocky Mountain Pro Rodeo Association and win her Women’s Professional Rodeo Assoication card in 2016
Amberly Snyder
As a freshman in high school, he tried out for the varsity team, but his 5’11” frame kept him from making the team. After being a star on the junior varsity team and hitting a growth spurt, he finally made the varsity team.
Micheal Jordan
As a child, he had some difficulty communicating and learning in a traditional manner not being able to properly communicate till age four. He later went on to win the Nobel prize in physics.
Albert Einstein
Famous for her roles in "The Devil Wears Prada" and "Mamma Mia" this actor was told she wasn't beautiful enough to be a movie star
Meryl Streep
Bonus if you sing a song from Mamma Mia
She may be a multi-platinum selling singer for her band, Lady Antebellum, but the cards weren’t always in her favour. After auditioning for American Idol twice, and failing to make it to the judges round bound both times, instead found success with her bandmates instead, dominating the country charts along the way.
Hillary Scott
After losing her arm in a shark attack many thought her dreams of surfing were over.
Bethany Hamilton
joined the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1968—only to get drafted into the Vietnam War after his rookie season. A bullet hit him in the left leg, and then grenade shrapnel tore into his right leg and part of his right foot. “you won't be able to play again. It's impossible,”
Rocky Bleier
teachers told him he was 'too stupid to learn anything'. he later worked the night shift at the Associated Press bureau news wire so he could have more time to spend on his inventions and reading. after being fired due to an accident with one of his experiments he the pursued inventing full time and created what is considered to be world-changing inventions.
Thomas Edison
After his first small movie role, an executive took him into his office and told him he'd never succeed in the movie business. His career went on to span six decades, and has included timeless starring roles in blockbuster films like the "Star Wars" and "Indiana Jones" series.
Harrison Ford
Perhaps the most famous singer in history, he was told time after time he couldn’t sing.
When he was 14, his teacher specifically commenting that he “had no aptitude for singing.”
Later in life, his audition to a local quartet failed, again because of his perceived lack of talent. After a performance at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry, he was told by the concert hall manager that he was better off as a truck driver because he would never make it as a singer.
Elvis Presley
This comedy favorite's NYU professors told him to consider a different career, saying, "Think about something else. Listen, you got heart, but you don’t have it. Choose another path." He started working at Saturday Night Live just two years after graduating and had a booming movie career in the '90s and 2000s.
Adam Sandler
He’s called The Greatest for a reason, but, believe it or not, many believed he wouldn’t stand a chance in the ring. This is in part due to The Tale of the Tape, a system used to compare several traits of combattants who were set to face each other, including weight, height and age among others. At the time, it was also used as a test to see which athletes were deemed “natural” boxers. Reportedly, he failed across the board.
Muhammad Ali
Infamously known for her book series which was later turned into a movie series. The first book in the series was rejected no less then 12 times before being published.
J.K. Rowling
was publicly fired from her first television job as an anchor in Baltimore for getting 'too emotionally invested in her stories'
Oprah Winfrey
This band traveled ten hours in 1961 to audition for executives of Decca Records in hopes of starting their career there. They recorded an astonishing fifteen songs to demonstrate their capabilities. However, they were rejected by executives who felt that guitar groups were out of fashion and would likely never find success. The band now has more record sales than any other musical act in history.
The Beatles
Renowned horror and suspense author writing over 64 books, sold more than 350 million copies, and even had several of his books turned into movies (i.e. It, Misery, The Shining, The Green Mile, Cujo, Pet Sematary, etc.). But before his writing career truly took off, his first book was rejected 30 times
Stephen King
One of the greatest pitchers of the '80s, former MLB pitcher has the distinction of being cut from both his high school and college baseball teams. He refused to let it get the best of him and built an 18-year career that included three All-Star appearances and one Cy Young Award.
Orel Hershiser
This legendary children's author known around the world for classics like "The B Book". His books selling over 600 million copies. Had his first book rejected by 27 different publishers.
Dr. Seuss
Bonus
Theodor Seuss Geisel,
And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street (1937)
actor, a model, and a bona fide Hollywood symbol who has gone on to become one of the most enduring actors of all time. Widely known for playing the "blonde bombshell" in comedic roles. But before she was hit with a lot of "no's" in the business. the former assistant director of 20th Century Fox, reportedly told her she'd never be anything more than a secretary.
Marilyn Monroe
She may have sold over 60 million records and she may be one of the most recognisable names and voices in pop music but at school she was deemed so bad at singing that she wasn’t allowed to join the school choir. Her music teacher thought her now-iconic vibrato was “too strong,” adding that she “sounded like a goat.”
Shakira
This film director was rejected from film school 3 times it wasn't until after his 1968 independent film Amblin' was noticed by Sid Sheinberg, who was President of Universal Television at the time, Steven was offered a seven-year contract to direct television for the company. he went on to become one of the most regarded directors in the industry.
Steven Spielberg