Success Doesn't Always Come Early

If feeling like being behind in life or not having hit a stride yet, there is actually some pretty incredible company. Many of the world’s most iconic names spent decades wandering through aimless jobs, failed businesses, and absolute obscurity before finally finding a true calling. It turns out that the first half of life can sometimes just be a very long, very messy dress rehearsal for the greatness that is waiting around the corner.

Elliott & Fry on Wikimedia

1. Colonel Harland Sanders

Before becoming the face of a global fried chicken empire, this man was a total jack-of-all-trades who could not seem to make anything stick. He lost multiple jobs, failed as a lawyer, and saw his first restaurant go belly up when a new highway bypassed its location. It was not until he was 65 years old that he finally hit it big by franchising his secret recipe.

Norman Rockwell on Wikimedia

2. Julia Child

Although now known for expertise in French cuisine, Julia Child spent early career in advertising and Office of Strategic Services (OSS) intelligence work. She did not learn to cook until moving to France in late 30s and later attended Le Cordon Bleu. She published Mastering the Art of French Cooking at age 49.

Lynn Gilbert on Wikimedia

3. Abraham Lincoln

Early life was basically a masterclass in handling constant rejection and professional disappointment.

He failed in business and lost multiple campaigns for legislature before experiencing a nervous breakdown well before taking office. He did not become president until in 50s.

Alexander Gardner on Wikimedia

4. Vera Wang

Contrary to popular belief, Vera Wang did not grow up dreaming of becoming a fashion icon. In fact, she was a figure skater and later an editor for Vogue Magazine before trying design. She did not begin professionally designing dresses until opening first bridal boutique at age 40.

David Shankbone on Wikimedia

5. Samuel L. Jackson

This legendary actor is the definition of a late bloomer in an industry that usually worships teenagers. He struggled with substance abuse and spent years playing tiny, forgettable roles in minor theater productions throughout his 20s and 30s. Everything changed when finally getting a big break in mid-40s, and he has been one of the highest-grossing stars in Hollywood ever since.

Sean Reynolds from Liverpool, United Kingdom on Wikimedia

6. Ray Kroc

Ray Kroc was a traveling milkshake mixer salesman for majority of life before discovering McDonald’s. He did not discover the fast food chain until age 52 and persuaded them to sell the company. He has since passed but made millions from the booming fast food chain.

CPL RONOLDSON G. SLIM, USMC on Wikimedia

7. Grandma Moses

Anna Mary Robertson Moses did not begin painting until late 70s. Before beginning a career as one of the most famous folk artists America has ever seen, she worked as a farmhand and housekeeper.

She thought of herself as someone with “no talent” who liked to paint.

New York World-Telegram and the Sun staff photographer: Roger Higgins. on Wikimedia

8. Charles Darwin

Darwin was a poor student who dropped out of medical school before becoming one of the most famous scientists in history. He did not publish The Origin of Species until the ripe age of 50 after years of obsessing over barnacles and collecting data.

Melosasiempre on Wikimedia

9. Stan Lee

The creator of Spider-Man once tried to give up on comics because he felt like a failure. Stan Lee had been writing comics that he cared little about and wanted out by the time he was 39. Luckily, he created The Fantastic Four instead and launched the universe known today.

Larry D. Moore on Wikimedia

10. Henry Ford

Henry Ford’s first few car companies went bankrupt because he could not streamline production. He cared too much about making the perfect car and refused to cut any corners. He finally hit it big with the Ford Model T at age 45.

Fred Hartsook on Wikimedia

11. Martha Stewart

Before becoming America’s decorating guru, Martha Stewart was a stockbroker on Wall Street. She then ran a home-based catering business for over a decade before publishing first book at age 41. The book was a hit and led to becoming the household name known today.

David Shankbone on Wikimedia

12. Bram Stoker

Dracula author Bram Stoker worked as a theater manager and personal assistant for most of life.

He published several novels that went nowhere and was almost 50 when publishing Dracula. He never knew just how big his brainchild would become before passing.

unknown / неизвестно on Wikimedia

13. Toni Morrison

Nobel Prize-winning novelist Toni Morrison did not publish first novel until age 39. She worked as an editor by day while raising two children as a single mother. Morrison would squeeze in writing at odd hours until career took off in 40s and 50s.

Angela Radulescu on Wikimedia

14. Momofuku Ando

The inventor of instant ramen did not come up with idea until age 48. He had run several successful businesses and was once jailed for tax evasion after bank failure. He lived in a ramen noodle experimental lab shed for a year before perfecting fried noodle process.

日本網 on Wikimedia

15. Reid Hoffman

LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman did not start the online networking giant until age 35. He tried to start a similar social network called SocialNet several years prior but failed because the public did not need it yet. He would not become a billionaire until 40s.

Robert Scoble from Half Moon Bay, USA on Wikimedia

16. James Gandolfini

Most recognize him from the role of Tony Soprano on the groundbreaking television show of the same name. What many may not know is that it took Gandolfini 37 years to land that role. Before acting, he was a bouncer, bartender, and club manager.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Wikimedia

17. Laura Ingalls Wilder

Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote the famous Little House on the Prairie series.

But before penning bestselling children’s books, she was a housewife. Wilder began writing books in her 60s at encouragement of her daughter.

Nard the Bard on Wikimedia

18. Ang Lee

Best known for films like Life of Pi and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Ang Lee was a stay-at-home dad for six years. After college, he felt like a failure because he could not get films funded. He got a big break in early 40s and has won multiple Oscars since.

nicolas genin on Wikimedia

19. Rodney Dangerfield

Famous for saying he “got no respect,” and that was true for the first several decades of life. He actually quit show business in his 30s to sell aluminum siding because he could not make a living as a comedian. It was not until a comeback in late 40s that he became the comedy icon remembered today.

Press photo, photographer unknown on Wikimedia

20. Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman did not become a household name until well into 50s. He worked in theater for years and had a regular role on the children’s show The Electric Company. He did not land a big break until the film Street Smart hit theaters in 1987.

Georges Biard on Wikimedia