Ever wondered what successful people had that you don’t have? You might have wondered sometimes why you didn’t have a resume or a list of accomplishments as long--you might have even felt jealous and resentful. But the fact is that more lies underneath the surface than meets the eye. Most successful people overcame scores of failures, rejection from others, and lots of harsh criticism. How they reacted to all these negative situations makes the difference. Here are a few inspiring examples of successful people overcoming negative situations to achieve more than you could possibly imagine.

Inspiring Generations of Moviegoers

It took George Lucas 5 years to sell his script. Except for one 20th Century Fox executive who finally gave him his chance, nobody thought much of the script to the movie we now know as Star Wars. Apart from the resulting franchise which is now worth over $30billion and still growing, imagine the impact that Star Wars has had on the movie industry and generations of fans ever since the first movie was made. George Lucas’ thoughts about pushing forward through rejection and failure continue to inspire: “You use the information that you've gotten, which is experience . . . Failure is another word for experience."

An Apprenticeship in Failure

Henry Ford spent a huge portion of his life working on many types of devices; but he truly knew failure when he got the turn his sights towards creating a horseless carriage. Mr Ford started many companies with various partners in pursuit of his dream of producing automobiles efficiently and cost-effectively...and for many years he failed. His journey was littered with people who didn’t believe his idea could ever be successful. He eventually found the right financial backer who afforded him the resources to realize his vision of mass producing an inexpensive, yet reliable, automobile. His determination to never give up not only made Ford a household name, it also kicked off innovative production methods that jump-started the American economy.

Demoted, Fired...President of the United States

Few Cinderella stories are as inspiring as that of Abraham Lincoln. From being born in a one-room log cabin, through a sketchy education, to becoming one of the most iconic leaders in American history. But the journey wasn’t easy. Not only was he demoted during his time in the army, he worked through several doomed businesses and suffered defeats in many elections before winning the election that gave him the highest position in the land. Abraham Lincoln story clearly shows that you never truly fail until you stop trying.

The Right Job for the Right Amount of Money

It is not everyone who subscribes to the idea that equates success with being rich and famous. In fact, some believe that the inspiration you need lies with finding the right job for the right amount of money. Being inspiring often takes a lifetime and comes at the end of a long career that can easily be filled with negativity, poor bosses and co-workers, and stress. There is no way to know whether you will have an inspiring career or not, but the only way it can happen is if you learn to overcome negativity. Stuff like work-life balance and lasting happiness come only through the inspiration to thrive wherever you find yourself in life.

Tuning negativity into inspiration may be one of the hardest things to accomplish, but the rewards are worth it. Why? Because very few people are going to give you opportunities on a silver platter. And while you do this, ensure that you take the time to encourage and uplift others. You never know the impact kind words can have on pushing someone towards fulfilling their dreams.