1. From the connections:
THE WORD:
The “measure” of Christ’s judgment in the world to come is made clear in the parable of the talents: The Lord will judge us according to how well we used the “talents” and gifts every one of us has been given. The greater the “capital” we have been given, the greater God's expectations.
HOMILY POINTS:
Whatever degree of talent, ability and wealth we possess have been “entrusted” to us by the “Master.” Jesus teaches that our place in the reign of God will depend on our stewardship of those talents God has given us: whether we “bury” them in fear or selfishness or use them readily to reveal God in our midst.
Each one of us is given many opportunities to “reap and gather.” The challenge of the Gospel is to be ready and willing to respond to those opportunities joyfully and generously for the sakes of others, to build the kingdom of God in own time and place.
Jesus urges us not to “bury” our talents in the safe ground of self-interest and passivity but to “invest” them for the benefit of all. Christ calls us to a faith that is willing take the risk of investing what we have in the greater good, and he promises us the grace to work to enable others to realize a return on the investment of their own talents in God’s kingdom in our midst.
Too often we can become someone’s demanding, hard “master”: judging them harshy, dismissing their ideas, treating them mercilessly when they fail, making unreasonable demands of them, refusing to accept and appreciate what they can contribute to the good of all. Jesus calls us to be aware of the many gifts of those around us, to honor them as blessings from God, and do all that we can to encourage them to develop their “talents” for good of all and the praise of their Giver.
Every child’s future
Imagine a classroom of eight and nine-year-old children in any elementary school in any town.
See the boy in the third row who watches the clouds all day? He’s not daydreaming — he’s fascinated by weather: he wants to know why it rains, what makes it snow, how hurricanes form. As he gets older he could transform his inquisitiveness into a career as a meteorologist or science reporter . . . if . . .
Or the little girl in the fifth row? She is naturally loving, generous and kind. She helps her mom — a single parent — take care of her younger brother and sister. At such a young age, she has already discovered the joy of being a big sister. Some day she could be a compassionate teacher, a wise counselor, a skilled pediatrician, a loving mom . . . if . . .
That classroom is filled with many gifted boys and girls. Every child in that room has the potential to do great things on and any and every stage — from the laboratory to the board room, from the studio to the halls of government. This girl could create the next Microsoft; that boy may find the cure to cancer. They are limited only by their imaginations and the opportunities they will have to learn and grow. The possibilities for these bright, curious, enthusiastic students are endless . . . if . . .
. . . if they’re willing to take the risks that come with the gifts and talents they have been given . . . if they invest the time, the energy, the hard work, the humility to learn and to try . . . if they commit themselves to their studies and training . . . Every one of us — child or adult, student or teacher — has been entrusted by God with gifts and talents to contribute to the work of creation. The challenge is to be willing to risk exposing our true selves, to risk involvement with others, to risk failure, despair and ridicule. Jesus urges us not to “bury” our talents in the safe ground of self-interest and passivity but to “invest” them for the benefit of all. God will hold us accountable not for what we have been given but for what we have done with what we have been given. Christ calls us to a faith that is willing take the risk of investing what we have in the greater good, and he promises us the grace to work to enable others to realize a return on the investment of their own talents in God’s kingdom in our midst.
2. From Fr. Jude Botelho
The first reading from the book of Proverbs is part of the Wisdom literature of Israel. It sets forth how we are to live and behave in our daily life. Today’s excerpt from Proverbs idolizes the ideal wife, who is practical and manages the household so well that she is prized above all things by her husband. The reading reminds the Israelites of the great gift and companionship that an ideal wife is. She is diligent about household matters and is held up as a model of how a simple ordinary housewife can use her talents to the full in the service not only of her own family but for others as well. Are we living our lives to the fullest and making something of our lives?
What have I made of myself?
Once a re-union took place of past pupils and an elderly priest who had come back to be present at the re-union. It was obvious from the way they flocked around him that he enjoyed great respect among them. Without the slightest promptings they began to pour out their stories. One was an architect, another was a university professor, another was a head of a company, another was a highly successful farmer, another was a monsignor in the Church, and another was a principal of a very prestigious school. The old priest listened with pleasure, as there didn’t seem to be a single failure or loser among them. Whey they had finished he complimented them on their achievements. Then, looking at them with affection, he said, “And now, tell me what you have made of yourselves?” A long silence followed. They were reluctant to speak of themselves. It seems they were so absorbed in their careers that they had neglected their personal lives. Their energies were so focused on efficiency and success that they didn’t have time to grow emotionally, with the result that in terms of relationships many of them were impoverished.
Flor McCarthy in ‘New Sunday and Holy Day Liturgies’
In today’s Gospel Jesus uses a parable of the talents to illustrate how we should live our lives to the fullest if we are to be pleasing to God. In the parable the rich man, before he leaves for a journey gives incredible sums to three servants –the first, ten talents, the second, five talents and the third, one talent, which alone equaled the wages of an ordinary worker for twenty years! Without further instructions the man departs. Hurriedly, the first two servants doubled their gifts, while the one-talent man dug a hole in the ground and hid his. Upon returning the rich man asked his servants what happened to his money. After identical responses about doubling his gift, the first two are called ‘good and faithful servant’ and are placed in charge of even more possessions and welcomed into the joy of the master. While the first two servants were praised the third servant was treated differently. When he was asked what he had done with the talent received he said “I went off and buried your talent in the ground.” The master berates the man as wicked and lazy, and tells him that he should have invested the money with bankers, and then he takes the one talent and gives it to the one who already had ten, and exiles the timid servant to the outer darkness. Why was the timid servant condemned? The tragic flaw of the timid one is that he lived out of fear even when gifted. Every gift of God is also a mandate to bear fruit in God’s vineyard. Some people are so good that they are good-for-nothing! It does not matter how many talents we have but how well we use them. We also need to realize that life and everything we have is a gift from the Lord and we have to be accountable for the gifts received.
“Give it your best shot!”
Tom Demsey was born without a right hand and with only half a right foot. He went to school and played football. He even played on a junior college team in California. In time he began to place kick for the team. He got so good that eventually he was signed by the New Orleans Saints. On November 8, 1970, the saints were trailing Detroit 17-16 with two seconds to go. They had the ball on the Detroit 45-yard line. New Orleans coach J.D. Roberts tapped Tom on the shoulder and said, “Go out there and give it your best shot!” The holder set the ball down eight yards behind the line of scrimmage, instead of seven, to give Dempsey a split second more time to get the ball off. This put the ball 63 yards from the uprights. The rest of the story is history. Tom’s half right foot made perfect contact. Tom later said in the Newsweek magazine: “I couldn’t follow the ball that far. But I saw the official’s arms go up, and I can’t describe how great I felt.” The saints won the game by 19-17, and Dempsey shattered the NFL field goal record by seven yards. - What does the story have to do with today’s gospel? Tom Dempsey had very few, if any, talent for playing football. Yet he used the very few talents he had to accomplish a great deal. He not only played pro football; he set a pro football record that still stands.
Mark Link in ‘Sunday Homilies’
“Today it is easy to let fear govern our lives. A whole political and social structure is nurtured by fear and it stalks our Christian life. Traditionalists fear the gift of Vatican II and a changing Church, and want to keep their treasure intact through a return to dated rituals and arcane theology. Those who welcomed the aggiornamento of John Paul XXIII often want to freeze it in time fearful of renewing the renewal. The wise women at the wedding feast, the enterprising servants in today’s gospel, and the good wife of Proverbs were people of foresight, initiative and independence. The Church today has been given vast treasures of ‘talents’. Will these increase or remain hidden and guarded?”
John Donahue
Foretaste of Heaven
The legendary American violinist, Yehudi Menuhin, was but seven when he performed Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in public. Aged ten, his violin recital at London’s Royal Albert Hall was so phenomenal that Albert Einstein who heard him reportedly whispered to the child prodigy, “Today you have proved to me that there is a God in heaven!” Indeed when one experiences talent developed in so short a time, one gets a glimpse of God, a foretaste of heaven. Today’s readings suggest that God wants us to use our talents and treasures before time runs out.
Francis Gonsalves in ‘Sunday Seeds for Daily Deeds’
Practice, practice, practice
Novelist Sinclair Lewis was once besieged by college students for a lecture on the art of writing. The students explained that they had a deep desire to be writers. Lewis began his lecture with: “How many of you earnestly yearn to be writers?” All hands went up. “Then,” said Lewis, “there is no point in lecturing to you. My advice to you is to go home and write, write, write!” We might add, “practice, practice, practice!” that some degree of perfection might pervade every talent we are invested with – but only so that we invest in it, ourselves. Then sometime we might hear those words: “Welcome into the joy of the Lord!”
Francis Gonsalves in ‘Sunday Seeds for Daily Deeds’
Name Your Talents
A friend of mine, a successful businessman, told me this story. Once, during a long season when his work was suffering, he began to wonder if he should find another occupation. One of his sisters’ kids listening to his doubts, took a pencil and wrote on a piece of paper what she must have learned at her catechism class: “God created you to use your talents. Name them.” The last words were underlined for emphasis. She taped the paper nearby his computer where they are to this day. –All life is a risk. People who are afraid of risking anything or taking chances do not win. Fear is not the mother of invention or discovery. Fear paralyzes action. Fearful people will be concerned about their own skin and security.
John Pichappilly in ‘The Table of the Word’
Never too late to make your mark
Antonio Stradivaris was born in Cremona, Italy. He had a very high and squeaky voice. Though he loved music and wanted to be a musician, he could not take part in a choir. His friends made fun of him because the talent he had was wood-carving. When Antonio was 22 he became an apprentice to a well-known violin maker Nicholas Amati. Under his master’s training Antonio’s knack for carving grew, and his hobby became his craft. He started his own violin shop when he was 36. He worked patiently and faithfully. By the time he died at 93, he had built over 1,500 violins. Stradivaris of Cremona are the most sought after and expensive violins in the world. He was not a singer, music player or teacher of music yet he used his ability to make beautiful music.
Elias Dias in ‘Divine Stories for Families’
It matters not how many talents we have but how well we use whatever we have, to better life!
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3. In Whose Hands
A basketball in my hands is worth about $19.
A basketball in Michael Jordan's hands is worth about $33 million.It depends whose hands it's in.
A baseball in my hands is worth about $6.
A baseball in Mark Mcguire's hands is worth $19 million.
It depends whose hands it's in.
A tennis racket is useless in my hands.
A tennis racket in Pete Sampras' hands is a Wimbledon Championship.
It depends whose hands it's in.
A rod in my hands will keep away a wild animal.
A rod in Moses' hands will part the mighty sea.
It depends whose hands it's in.
A sling shot in my hands is a kid's toy.
A sling shot in David's hand is a mighty weapon.
It depends whose hands it's in.
Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in my hands is a couple of fish sandwiches.
Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in God's hands will feed thousands.
It depends whose hands it's in.
Nails in my hands might produce a birdhouse.
Nails in Jesus Christ's hands will produce salvation for the entire world.
It depends whose hands it's in.
As you see now it depends whose hands it's in.
So we can put our concerns, our worries, our fears, our hopes, our dreams, our families, and our relationships in God's hands because --
It depends whose hands they're in.
May God Bless you and those you love, and keep you safe,
Father Pat
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4. From Sermons Illustrations:Bertoldo de Giovanni is a name even the most enthusiastic lover of art is unlikely to recognize. He was the pupil of Donatello, the greatest sculptor of his time, and he was the teacher of Michelangelo, the greatest sculptor of all time. Michelangelo was only 14 years old when he came to Bertoldo, but it was already obvious that he was enormously gifted. Bertoldo was wise enough to realize that gifted people are often tempted to coast rather than to grow, and therefore he kept trying to pressure his young prodigy to work seriously at his art.
One day he came into the studio to find Michelangelo toying with a piece of sculpture far beneath his abilities. Bertoldo grabbed a hammer, stomped across the room, and smashed the work into tiny pieces, shouting this unforgettable message, "Michelangelo, talent is cheap; dedication is costly!"
Gary Inrig, A Call to Excellence.
S.D. Gordon, The Bent-knee Time.
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5. From Sermons.com Jesus once told a story of a wealthy landowner who was preparing for a long journey. He called his three servants and divided his money between them, each according to their ability. To one servant he gave five talents, meaning a sum of money, to a second two, and to a third one.
Why is life like that? I don't know. We are all equal in the eyes of God. We are all guaranteed equal rights under the Constitution. In an election our votes are all equal. But when it comes to our abilities, we are as different as different can be. God simply did not make us all the same. There are some people who can handle five talents; there are some who can handle only one. There are some persons who have great intellectual capabilities, and some who do not. There are some who have the ability to project and articulate their thoughts, and there are some who cannot. There are some who have physical prowess and attractive looks, and there are some who do not.
The important thing to remember is that each servant was given something. No one was left idle. You may not be a five-talent person, but you have some talent. We all do. And you know something. I think that there are a whole lot more one and two talent people in this world than there are five talent people. Oh, there are some people who seem to have it all. I won't deny that. But most of us are just one or two talent servants.
The landowner now went on his journey. When he returned he called together his three servants and asked them to give an account...
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"America's Got Talent" is one of a dozen or more copy-cat "spin-offs" from the grand-daddy original "discover-unknown-talent" show "American Idol," a franchise we copied from Great Britain's "Pop Idol" franchise. This genre of television that includes "The Voice," "X-Factor" and "America's Got Talent" focus on finding that rare pearl of stardom embedded amidst the grit and gravel of everyday gifts. Ferreting out someone's ability to excel at something, identifying an individual's unique "talent," has its roots in this week's gospel text. In fact, you might call our text the original "talent contest."
In the first century a "talent" was actually a measure of weight for gold, silver and copper. We do know it was not a specific value of currency or wealth. We do not know exactly what the weight was that a "talent" measured. We do know it was recognized as the largest weight in normal everyday use. One "talent," then, was a considerable amount, especially when it expressed the weight of such valuable commodities as gold and silver and copper.
In this week's gospel parable these weighty "talents" are distributed by a master to his servants in varying amounts. One received ten "talents." A second received five "talents." A third was entrusted with one "talent." This master obviously "invested" in each of these three servants according to his perception of each of their individual abilities. It is because of this parable that the monetary weight of a "talent" became a term used to describe the natural ability of someone to do something...
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"The major themes of the Christian faith - caring, giving, witnessing, trusting, loving, hoping - cannot be understood or lived without risk." Fred Craddock
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God's Kingdom Comes through Small Acts of Kindness Have you ever felt like giving up? Have you ever wondered, even in what you try to do for God, whether it is doing any good? Let God be the judge of that! I remember reading about a little girl named Annie who in 1876 was ten years of age. She was put into a poor house for children...called the Tewkesbury Alms House in Massachusetts. Her mother had died and her father had deserted her. Her aunt and uncle found her too difficult to handle. She had a bad disposition, a violent temper...stemming in part from eyes afflicted with painful trachoma. She had been put in the poorhouse because no one wanted her. She was such a wild one that at times she had to be tied down.
But there was another inmate named Maggie who cared for Annie. Maggie talked to her, fed her, even though Annie would throw her food on the floor, cursing and rebelling with every ounce of her being. But Maggie was a Christian and out of her convictions she was determined to love this dirty, unkempt, spiteful, unloving little girl. It wasn't easy, but slowly it got through to Annie that she was not the only who was suffering. Maggie also had been abandoned. And gradually Annie began to respond.
But there was another inmate named Maggie who cared for Annie. Maggie talked to her, fed her, even though Annie would throw her food on the floor, cursing and rebelling with every ounce of her being. But Maggie was a Christian and out of her convictions she was determined to love this dirty, unkempt, spiteful, unloving little girl. It wasn't easy, but slowly it got through to Annie that she was not the only who was suffering. Maggie also had been abandoned. And gradually Annie began to respond.
Maggie told her about a school for the blind and Annie began to beg to be sent there, and finally, consent was given and she went to the Perkins Institute. After a series of operations her sight was partially restored. She was able to finish her schooling and graduate at age twenty. Having been blind so long she told the director of Perkins that she wanted to work with blind and difficult children. They found a little girl seven years old in Alabama who was blind and deaf from the age of two. So, Annie Sullivan went to Tuscumbia, Alabama to unlock the door of Helen Keller's dark prison and to set her free.
One human being, in the name of Christ, helping another human being! That's how God's kingdom comes, through small acts of kindness!
Robert W. Bohl, Reluctant Servants
Making a Difference
There is a little story that comes from a book called the Star Fisher. Picture if you will an early morning along a California beach. An elderly man is walking along the edge of the water and stops occasionally, picks up something, and then tosses it into the ocean. He then walks a few steps more, picks up something, and tosses it into the ocean. A young jogger is running along and has been watching the man. Finally his curiosity gets the best of him and he stops and goes over to the old gentleman and asks: "Excuse me, what are you doing?"
The man answered: Well, I am saving the life of these star fish. The storm washed them ashore last night, the sun will be up in thirty minutes, and then they will all die. I am throwing them back into the water to save their lives.
The jogger was a bit astounded. Old man, he said, don't you know that you have thirty miles of beach ahead of you and that millions of those star fish were washed ashore last night. What possible difference do you think that you are going to make. The old man took another step picked up a star fish, and with all his might hurled it into the ocean, then turned to the jogger and said: "Well, son, I guess I made a difference in that one's life."
Traditional, www.Sermons.com
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Fulfilling Your Calling An anonymous writer has said, "My small son and I were taking a walk. In the far corner of the field we found a small patch of beautiful and fragrant flowers. They were in the middle of weeds, almost completely hidden and unnoticed, yet these flowers were blooming in full beauty and we sensed their fresh fragrance. All of us have met persons unnoticed by many, but who in the middle of struggle and unlikely surroundings far from the center of attention live lives of beauty and fragrance. And living lives which seemed obscure they faithfully fulfilled God's calling for them. God's question on the last day will not be, 'How much were you noticed?' or even 'How much did you do?' Rather, his question will be, 'Were you faithful in fulfilling your calling where I placed you?' "
Peter J. Blackburn, Using What We Have
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Investing in God It had been a hard winter in the Appalachian area. The snow had piled up deeper and deeper, the mercury dropped, rivers froze, people suffered. The Red Cross used helicopters to fly in supplies. One crew had been working day after day--long hours. They were on their way home late in the afternoon when they saw a little cabin submerged in the snow. There was a thin whisper of smoke coming from the chimney. The rescue team figured they were probably about out of food, fuel, perhaps medicine. Because of the trees they had to put the helicopter down a mile away. They put on heavy packs with emergency supplies, trudged through heavy snow, waist deep, reached the cabin exhausted, panting, perspiring. They pounded on the door. A thin, gaunt mountain woman opened the door and the lead man gasped, "We're from the Red Cross." She was silent for a moment and then she said, "It's been a hard winter, Sonny, I just don't think we can give anything this year."
You might think this message is about a plea for money, but it's not. It's not about investing in stocks or bonds or IRA's. It's about investing in God and what God wants to do in the world.
David Beckett, Spiritual Investment
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ServiceSir Michael Costa, the celebrated conductor, was holding a rehearsal. As the mighty chorus rang out, accompanied by scores of instruments, the piccolo player, a little pint-sized flute, thinking perhaps that his contribution would not be missed amid so much music, stopped playing. Suddenly, the great leader stopped and cried out, "Where is the piccolo?"
The sound of that one small instrument was necessary to the harmony, and the Master Conductor missed it when it dropped out. The point? To the Conductor there are no insignificant instruments in an orchestra. Sometimes the smallest and seemingly least important one can make the greatest contribution and even if it doesn't seem to make that big a difference to the audience at large, THE CONDUCTOR KNOWS IT right away!
In the Church the players and the instruments are diverse - different sizes, different shapes, different notes, different roles to play. But like the piccolo player in Sir Michael's orchestra, we often in our own sovereignty decide that our contribution is not significant. Our contribution couldn't possibly make a difference. And so we quit playing. Stop doing that which we've been given to do. We drop out. But the Conductor immediately notices. From our perspective, our contribution may be small, but from His, it is crucial.
I just have to believe I'm talking to some piccolo players this morning, who have dropped out of the orchestra, for whatever reasons: pain, exhaustion, insecurity, criticism, laziness, misbehavior. Convinced that your contribution doesn't mean a hill of beans in the bigger scheme of things. We have buried our talent in the ground.
For all piccolos who won't play, or at least aren't playing, Jesus has something to say.
Adapted from Richard Love, Blowing Your Horn, Sermon Illustrations.
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Starting Is the First Step ________________
Starting is the first step to succeeding. We cannot be afraid of failure. I am a baseball junkie so I can bring you this: in 1915 Ty Cobb set the record for stolen bases, 96. Seven years later, Max Carey of the Pittsburgh Pirates became second best with 51 stolen bases. Does this mean that Cobb was twice as good as Carey, his closest rival?
Look at the facts: Cobb made 134 attempts, Carey, 53. Cobb failed 38 times; Carey only failed twice. Cobb succeeded 96 times, Carey only 51 times. Cobb's average was only 71 percent. Carey's average was 96 percent. Carey's average was much better than Cobb's. Cobb tried 81 more times than Carey. But here is the key: His 81 additional tries produced 44 more stolen bases. Cobb risked failure 81 more times in one season than his closest rival and Cobb goes down in history as the greatest base runner of all time. Why? Because he tried.
The one in the middle - the faithful servant who does the best he or she possibly can with what has been given - the one who tries. And the result is pleasing, perhaps even surprisingly pleasing, to the Master.
David E. Leininger, www.Sermons.com
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Indifference In this passage Jesus, in judging the nations, reveals the importance of caring for believers. We all consider it proper to share food, and other things, to others in the church who have needs. We would all acknowledge that it is important to do so. But Jesus considers it of the utmost priority. Here He judges people by how much they care.
In the book The Screwtape Letters, by C. S. Lewis, a devil briefs his demon nephew, Wormwood, in a series of letters, on the subtleties and techniques of tempting people. In his writings, the devil says that the objective is not to make people wicked but to make them indifferent. This higher devil cautions Wormwood that he must keep the patient comfortable at all costs. If he should start thinking about anything of importance, encourage him to think about his luncheon plans and not to worry so much because it could cause indigestion. And then the devil gives this instruction to his nephew: "I, the devil, will always see to it that there are bad people. Your job, my dear Wormwood, is to provide me with people who do not care."
Dan Vellinga, What Would You Do?
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I Can Be a Good Business Man Henry P. Crowell contracted tuberculosis when a boy and couldn't go to school. After hearing a sermon by Dwight L. Moody, young Crowell prayed, "I can't be a preacher, but I can be a good businessman. God, if you will let me make money, I will use it in your service."
Under the doctor's advice Crowell worked outdoors for seven years and regained his health. He then bought the little run-down Quaker Mill at Ravanna, Ohio. Within ten years Quaker Oats was a household word to millions. Henry P. Crowell faithfully gave 60 to 70 percent of his income to God's causes, having advanced from an initial 10 percent.
Brett Blair, www.Sermons.com
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Our Greatest Enemy The greatest enemy of faith is not doubt; the greatest enemy of faith is fear. Most of the world is controlled by fear, petty and big. Petty fears control people; great fears control nations. We could feed all the people in this world if we would stop building arms, but we are afraid. In the Beatitudes (Sermon on the Mount) Jesus said, "Those of you who make peace will he happy. You will be God's own." Yet even Christians are preoccupied with fear and protecting ourselves because we don't believe what Jesus said. The Sermon on the Mount is an antidote to fear. But we have never seen fear as the crucial issue, only "doubt."
Richard Rohr, Radical Grace, p. 349
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A Little Effort Apathy is the opposite of Faith: Some years ago in South America, a crew of Peruvian Sailors, headed up the Amazon river came upon a strange sight. It was like a scene from "The Twilight Zone." A Spanish ship was anchored off the coast and all the sailors were stretched out weakly on the deck of the ship. As the Peruvians drew closer, they saw that the Spaniards were in terrible physical condition. They looked the picture of death itself, their lips parched and swollen. They were literally dying of thirst.
"Can we help you?" shouted the Peruvians.
The Spaniards cried out, "Water! Water! We need fresh water!"The Peruvian sailors, surprised at this request, told them to lower their buckets and help themselves.
The Spaniards, fearing they'd been misunderstood cried back, "No, no we need FRESH water!
But they received the same reply form the Peruvians to lower their buckets and help themselves. They finally did lower their buckets into the ocean waters and when they brought the buckets on deck they discovered to their amazement fresh water....
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Memorable quotes from world great leaders
Without your involvement you can’t succeed. With your involvement you can’t fail.- Dr. Abdul Kalam
1. Henry Ford
Ford is known for his innovative success but he failed five times before he founded the FORD Company.
2. R. H. Macy
Before the success of MACY, he failed in seven businesses and finally succeeded with his new store.
3. Soichiro Honda
The billion-dollar business, that is Honda, started initially with a series of failures. He started making scooters of his own at home and spurred on by his neighbors, finally started his own business.
4. Bill Gates
Gates didn’t seem like a shoe-in for success after dropping out of Harvard and starting a failed first business with Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen called Traf-O-Data.
5. Harland David Sanders
Sanders founded KFC and his famous secret chicken recipe was rejected 1,009 times before a restaurant accepted it.
6. Walt Disney
Walt Disney had a bit of a rough start and he was fired by a newspaper editor because, ‘he lacked imagination and had no good ideas’. He kept plugging along, however, and eventually found a recipe for success that worked.
Scientists
7. Albert Einstein
Einstein did not speak until he was four and did not read until he was seven, and his teachers and parents thought he was mentally handicapped, slow and anti-social. But he caught on pretty well in the end, winning the Nobel Prize and changing the face of modern physics.
8. Charles Darwin
In his early years, Darwin gave up on having a medical career and considered as a lazy boy. Now, Darwin is well-known for his scientific studies.
9. Isaac Newton
Newton was failed so many times in his school days and was sent off to Cambridge where he finally blossomed into the scholar we know today.
10. Thomas Edison
Edison was fired for being unproductive In his early years. Even as an inventor, Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb.
11. Orville and Wilbur Wright
After numerous attempts at creating flying machines, several years of hard work, and tons of failed prototypes, the brothers finally created a plane.
Public Figures
12. Winston Churchill
This Nobel Prize-winning, twice-elected Prime Minster of the United Kingdom struggled in school and failed the sixth grade. After many years of political failures, finally became the Prime Minister at the ripe old age of 62.
13. Abraham Lincoln
After Lincoln was failed many times in business and defeated in numerous runs, he became a greatest leader.
14. Oprah Winfrey
Oprah faced a rough and abusive childhood as well as numerous career setbacks in her life to become one of the most iconic faces on TV.
Writers and Artists
15. Steven Spielberg
Spielberg’s name was rejected from the University of Southern California School of Theater, Film and Television three times. Thirty-five years after starting his degree, Spielberg returned to school in 2002 to finally complete his work and earn his BA.
16. J. K. Rowling
Rowling may be rolling in a lot of Harry Potter dough today, but before she published the series of novels she was nearly penniless, severely depressed, divorced, trying to raise a child on her own while attending school and writing a novel.
Athletes
17. Michael Jordan
Most people wouldn’t believe that a man often lauded as the best basketball player of all time was actually cut from his high school basketball team. ‘I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.’
“I have missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I have almost lost 300 games.
26 times I have been trusted to take the game winning shot and I missed.
I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that’s why I succeed.”
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Memorable quotes from world great leaders
Without your involvement you can’t succeed. With your involvement you can’t fail.- Dr. Abdul Kalam
1. Henry Ford Ford is known for his innovative success but he failed five times before he founded the FORD Company.
2. R. H. Macy Before the success of MACY, he failed in seven businesses and finally succeeded with his new store.
3. Soichiro Honda The billion-dollar business, that is Honda, started initially with a series of failures. He started making scooters of his own at home and spurred on by his neighbors, finally started his own business.
4. Bill Gates Gates didn’t seem like a shoe-in for success after dropping out of Harvard and starting a failed first business with Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen called Traf-O-Data.
5. Harland David Sanders Sanders founded KFC and his famous secret chicken recipe was rejected 1,009 times before a restaurant accepted it.
6. Walt Disney Walt Disney had a bit of a rough start and he was fired by a newspaper editor because, ‘he lacked imagination and had no good ideas’. He kept plugging along, however, and eventually found a recipe for success that worked.
Scientists
7. Albert Einstein Einstein did not speak until he was four and did not read until he was seven, and his teachers and parents thought he was mentally handicapped, slow and anti-social. But he caught on pretty well in the end, winning the Nobel Prize and changing the face of modern physics.
8. Charles Darwin In his early years, Darwin gave up on having a medical career and considered as a lazy boy. Now, Darwin is well-known for his scientific studies.
9. Isaac Newton Newton was failed so many times in his school days and was sent off to Cambridge where he finally blossomed into the scholar we know today.
10. Thomas Edison Edison was fired for being unproductive In his early years. Even as an inventor, Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb.
11. Orville and Wilbur Wright After numerous attempts at creating flying machines, several years of hard work, and tons of failed prototypes, the brothers finally created a plane.
Public Figures
12. Winston Churchill This Nobel Prize-winning, twice-elected Prime Minster of the United Kingdom struggled in school and failed the sixth grade. After many years of political failures, finally became the Prime Minister at the ripe old age of 62.
13. Abraham Lincoln After Lincoln was failed many times in business and defeated in numerous runs, he became a greatest leader.
14. Oprah Winfrey Oprah faced a rough and abusive childhood as well as numerous career setbacks in her life to become one of the most iconic faces on TV.
Writers and Artists
15. Steven Spielberg Spielberg’s name was rejected from the University of Southern California School of Theater, Film and Television three times. Thirty-five years after starting his degree, Spielberg returned to school in 2002 to finally complete his work and earn his BA.
16. J. K. Rowling Rowling may be rolling in a lot of Harry Potter dough today, but before she published the series of novels she was nearly penniless, severely depressed, divorced, trying to raise a child on her own while attending school and writing a novel.
Athletes
17. Michael Jordan Most people wouldn’t believe that a man often lauded as the best basketball player of all time was actually cut from his high school basketball team. ‘I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.’
“I have missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I have almost lost 300 games.
26 times I have been trusted to take the game winning shot and I missed.
I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that’s why I succeed.”
