10 Famous People Who Overcame Substantial Challenges

 

overcomechallenges

Obstacles and challenges are a part of life. When we are going through life trying to achieve our goals, it is inevitable that something will get in our way, sometime, on our journey to success and happiness. So when we come face to face with these obstacles (things that get in our way, or are difficult to overcome) what should we do? Give up and walk away? Of course not! These obstacles are necessary in life to help us see what is important, help us know what is worth fighting for, and what is worth hard work and determination. Chances are, if something is not important, you won’t fight for it.

So, what has been your obstacle? What has gotten in your way of achieving your dream or reaching success? Share your story here. What was the obstacle and how did you overcome it? Sharing your story could inspire or help another reader reach their lemonade.” ((this comes from the expression: When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.”))

Are you looking to improve reading comprehension? Check out this article:  10 Famous People Who Overcame Substantial Challenges  via “MastersChannel” After reading about these 10 famous people, choose 3 and summarize their story. Show your understanding of what you read, and practice your writing by using your own words to describe 3 of these famous people, their challenges, and how they overcame them. Feel free to do more research on-line, and include that information, too!

Happy reading, writing, and studying! ♥

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16 Comments

  1. Volnei on April 16, 2014 at 2:09 pm

    Stevie Wonder is one of the most fantastic musician ever. He was born blind but he worked hard to overcome this obstacle and win a lot of awards and the respect and admiration around all the world.
    Jim Carrey and Oprah Winfrey are today famous personalities in the show business, but, before that happened, they had to overcome hard family problems in their childhood. Their obstacles envolves parents difficulties in a period of time that were in the past now. It was definitely overcome.
    I have no doubt that Carrey and Winfrey deserve the respect of all, but I understand that people like Stevie Wonder or Marlee Matlin deserve much more admiration and respect as they needed to overcome their obstacles day by day, during all his life.

  2. Choi Jeasik(Rick) on April 16, 2014 at 7:22 am

    In the introduction, I was impressed by this sentence;Difficulty and impossibility are the different words that mean different things.
    I choose the three people;Oprah Winfrey, Ludwig van Beethoven and Marlee Matlin.
    As I know the Oprah Winfrey in my home country, she is the MC of the most famous talk show. Also, I read the book about her. In her childhood, she was very poor person. She was born in poor family and do not have the money to buy a clothes. At 14 years old, she gave a birth to son as an unmarried mother. The poverty and bad experience is her obstacles, however she is the most influential woman in the world. Moreover, as such her name is the best creditable.
    The second person is Ludwig van Beethoven. His pieces are masterpieces for several hundred years. After he lost his hearing, he composed a lot of pieces. To composer, losing hearing is the fatal obstacles, but the Ninth Symphony is the greatest woks of music ever written.
    The last person is Marlee Matlin. In fact, She is the deaf that can not hear the sound. As a actress, deaf is the big obstacles. She can not hear the other actor voice, and get a accident in the studio. She overcomes the obstacles, and gets the Academy Award. She break the stereotype of deafness, and paves the way for others like herself. Finally, she gets married with her husband and lives personal life with her family like normal person.

  3. ahmed al saeed on April 16, 2014 at 1:09 am

    Ahmed Al Saeed
    ” It’s unfair you make people happy at the sametime you feel sad or you’re not enjoying it “; that was my thought at first before reading a small article about Ludwig Van Beethoven.
    That great composer has difficulty in hearing at the begning and was so interested and love to compose eymphonies, then the situation started to become worse and worse and it became total deafness.
    In spite of this disability, and as much as it was becoming worse, he promoted to be a professional in his work and make people enjoing his symphonies.
    Unfortunately, he died and he didn’t get the chance to listen to his last symphony.
    In the end my quote is changed to become ” There is nothing will inhibit me “.
    ………………………………………………
    Jim Carrey, the famous comedian actor in the world, that every body in the sex continents watch his movies, also that actor who gain a million of dollars per film.
    A serious obstacle thet Carrey had in his life when he was child, as his father died and there was no income to the family, they lived in a Van for a period of time, but he didn’t give up and decide to overcome any problem that make his family life difficult.
    He worked 8-hours after school and step by step he reach to the goal which everyone wish to reach. he is such as modal for the diligent person.
    …………………………………………………
    FDR is regarded to the greater American president, he didn’t want to be seen in his wheelchair in public.
    He suffered from being paralyzed from the waist down at age 39 nd he live the rest of his life with that.
    He was not confident enough to be in public, but he was super man and had high self-confident to prove that any obstacle should be overcame, we just should know how to deal with it and make it a self-challenge.

    • ahmed al saeed on April 16, 2014 at 1:11 am

      ** Six continents

  4. EonJoong Kim on April 16, 2014 at 1:02 am

    Ludwig van Beethoven
    He lost hearing at the age of 26. But he kept composing many pieces. So Beethoven helped shape the future of music. Although he was deaf, he overcame his obstacle and wrote many famous compose.
    Oprah Winfrey
    Jim Carrey
    When he was 12years old, his father lost his job and the family lived in a van for a period of time. But he overcame this time and he succeeded as a comedic actor. And he is noted for his hilarious portrayals of some of Hollywood’s most legendary characters.
    Stevie Wonder
    He has been blind since birth. But he overcame his obstacle. So he has received 22 Grammy awards and has released more than 30 number one hits. Finally he was one of the greatest performers who has ever lived.

  5. Meshal on April 16, 2014 at 12:28 am

    Jim Carrey
    He was living in Canada . he was poor , and when he was 12 years old his father lost his job and became living in a van . carrey took a job , working 8 hours shifts after school .

    Albert Einstein
    He called the father of modern physics. He didn’t pass the college exam for first time . He didn’t give up after not getting into college and he stills try after failing once or twice.

    Richard Branson
    He is the fourth richest in United Kingdom . He owns the Virgin group of brands . When he was child he performed poorly on tests in school and his teachers expected he never go very far but he defied them and he became a successful .

  6. nasser030 on April 15, 2014 at 11:56 pm

    Buzz Aldrin

    Buzz Aldrin one of United States Air Force Who ascended to the surface of the moon. Faced problems after his return and was able to overcome them by insisting. He become one of an outspoken supporter of space exploration .

  7. Razeh on April 15, 2014 at 11:36 pm

    1.jim Carrey ,comedian
    He has performed in many comedic roles.when carrey was 12 years old , his father lost his job and the family lived a van for a period of time .He took a job, working 8-hour shifts after school . It is a far cry from where the beloved actor stand today.
    2.Franklin D .Roosevelt, president
    The greatest American presidents by citizens of all different political leanings .He contracted an illness at age 39 that left him paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of his life.
    3. Stevie Wonder , singer
    He has received 22 Grammy awards over his 51 -year music career .He ever received by a single male recording artist .He has been blind since birth but that hasn’t stopped him from relesing more than 30 number . He has fathered seven children.

  8. ISADORA on April 15, 2014 at 10:59 pm

    Marlee Matlin- She is a famous and awarded actress on Hollywood with a huge variety of TV series in her career path. However what should be emphasized is that she is also deaf. In addiction to it, she got her family (married and has 4 children) and help people with the same disability to overcome their obstacles since she shattered people’s preconceived about deafness.
    Albert Einstein- most people know him as a physics icon, but what people usually don’t know is that AE failed his first time to get into the university.
    Franklin Roosevelt- known as a popular and great president of the USA, Roosevelt contracted an illness in his 39 and stayed on wheelchairs since that age. Even though, he was elected 4 times (the only one who had been elected more than 2 times).

  9. Sam on April 15, 2014 at 10:40 pm

    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Generally, to write a symphony is very difficult. Can you imagine writing symphony without hearing? That’s how Ludwig van Beethoven did. He began to lose his hearing at the age of 26, and 20 years later he was almost deaf. But he wrote a lot of good symphony even if he can’t hear.

    Albert Einstein
    He usually called ‘the father of modern physics’. He didn’t pass the college entrance exam first time even if he is a father of physics. He always does after failing once or twice. Don’t give up.

    Stevie Wonder
    Stevie Wonder has received 22 Grammy Awards over his 51 years music career even if he was blind since birth. This is show that blind didn’t matter for him. He has a lot of great song and become an American Culture icon. Also he has fathered seven children. The song about his daughter ‘Isn’t she lovely’ is very famous.

    • Me on June 26, 2014 at 1:01 am

      Ikr pig

  10. Dave on April 15, 2014 at 9:34 pm

    Marlee Matlin, actress
    Marlee Matlin is a famous actress. She received many awards in different film festival. we can agree that achievements would be done. But we left something out : she is also deaf. She has many hardships in her life and work. but she has broken people’s prejudice of what deafness life could be. And also she has paved the way of others like herself. Besides career in her life, she also achieved in her personal life with having her own family.

    Stevie Wonder, Singer
    Stevie Wonder is one of the most famous singer in America history. He received the Grammy awards as a male recording artist. He has been blind since birth, but he has overcame his obstacle and has released more than 30 his songs. he was a father for seven children.

    Richard Branson, CEO
    Richard Branson is the fourth richest person in the UK. But when he was young, he had some problems in study. He performed poorly on test in school and struggled with dyslexia. He has overcame his obstacle and showed that street – smart can take you far.

  11. Aya on April 15, 2014 at 9:26 pm

    Summary Famous people who overcame obstacles
    1.Albert Einstein
    He is called the father of modern physics. He failed the entrance exam,however, he didn’t give up.
    2.Jim Carry
    He was poor when he was child and had worked after school. However, he became a famous comedian,and has never forgotten his roots.
    3.Stevie Wonder
    Although he is blind,he has the most Grammy awards ever received by a single male recording artist.And he became an American cultural icon. Because more than 30 number one hit was released.

  12. Kim on April 15, 2014 at 5:41 pm

    At first I want to write about Stevie Wonder He’s an world famous singer and everyone loves him. If you hear his music you couldn’t imagine that he is blind. He is able to discribe things he had never seen, that’s definitely incredible. Stevie Wonder is an perfect example for accept his obstacle.
    The next two persons I want to talk about are Jim Carrey and Oprah Winfrey. Both were grown up in terrible situation. Jims father lost his job and his son had to work and own money. Oprah was born to a teenage single mother with less money. She had to wear potato sacks as dresses. There is such a big, big difference from then to now. Now both are very rich and they built their lifes like they want(ed). I think they believed in themself and that was the reason for overcoming. Really impressing!

  13. abhishek mishra on April 15, 2014 at 2:31 am

    I am not understanding it well.. can you help me…

    • Jennifer on April 15, 2014 at 1:02 pm

      Hi Abhishek, thanks for helping me realize that I posted my blog without the proper information! I have included the instructions now. Read the information, and let me know if you still need some help!

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