Last Updated on September 12, 2022

The life of a student is by no means a walk in the park. Apart from juggling home works and projects, students have a stringent schedule and demanding curriculum. This is the reason why most students are plagued by anxiety and depression. A good story is one of the best ways to chase the blues away. And if you need a little push to the right direction, here is our list of the best inspirational true stories for students!

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7 Inspirational True Stories for Students

Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan has overcome roadblocks ever since he dreamt of being a professional basketball player. His first setback was when he was left out of the varsity basketball team for being too short at 5’9”. Instead of giving up basketball completely, he trained harder than he had ever before. Every day he would practice without fail until hormones kicked in and he grew to 6’3”. Today, Michael Jordan is an NBA icon, an Olympic medalist, and a respected personality in the basketball industry.

Michael Jordan was not the best player back when he was a rookie. But practice makes perfect. Instead of letting every disappointment bring him down, he worked hard and practiced harder. Eventually, he became one of the most popular athletes in the world. He also redefined basketball together with his team, the Chicago Bulls, dominating pop culture for the most part of the 90s.

Lance Armstrong

At the age of 25, Lance Armstrong was diagnosed with advanced testicular cancer. He only had 40% chance of surviving the disease. Eventually, the tumors started growing in his stomach and lungs. Instead of letting cancer beat him, he learned more about the disease. He sought answers from books, resources and support groups, learning everything he could about cancer. His tenacity led to a successful treatment and a major comeback in cycling.

Whenever he comes across problems, Lance found strength in three things his mother taught him: “Make every obstacle an opportunity”, “Always work hard and good things will happen” and “Don’t believe it when other people say you can’t”.

Although Lance Armstrong’s career ended after being entangled in the now-infamous doping scandal, he remains as one of the most easily recognizable athletes in the industry. During the height of his popularity, he took advantage of his fame to motivate cancer-stricken patients into overcoming their sickness. He worked hard recovering from the big C and he came out stronger.

J.K. Rowling

Before the massive success that came from penning 8 bestselling books about a young wizard discovering his magical roots, J.K. Rowling was on state benefits together with her child she was raising alone. As a struggling writer, J.K. Rowling has dealt with rejections after rejections by publishers who wouldn’t give a second to read her work. In fact, the first HP book was rejected a dozen times before publisher picked it up.

J.K. Rowling epitomizes the rags to riches story and her tenacity, along with her natural talent, shaped her future! She didn’t let her writing career end with a few rejections, no. She worked harder to achieve her dreams.

Arianna Huffington

Did you know that major publishing companies rejected one of the most respected personalities in online publications 36 times? Arianna Huffington’s second book was rejected more than three dozen times before it was finally accepted for publication. Huffington Post, one of the most easily recognizable news sources in the business was not a success right away. It was peppered with bad reviews and questions about content quality before it becomes one of the most successful news outlets online. Through persistence, Arianna made a name for herself and showed naysayer what she’s got!

George Steinbrenner

Before acquiring the New York Yankees, George Steinbrenner owned a small basketball team called the Cleveland Pipers. Under his leadership, the franchise went bankrupt and Steinbrenner was hounded by bad luck even when he took over the Yankees. Despite a string of devastating setbacks and losses, the New York Yankees became one of the most profitable teams in Major League basketball. Success took a while but Steinbrenner was able to recoup his losses and steered his team to the right direction.

Walt Disney

Before Walt Disney built the world’s most iconic animation company, he was fired from a newspaper due to “lack of creativity.” After that, he moved on by launching his first animation business called Laugh-O-Gram Films on a $15,000 capital. But even that company failed, leaving Disney desperately out of cash. Instead of giving up, he went to Hollywood and worked hard, creating unforgettable cartoon characters and found success.

Milton Hershey

Hershey’s chocolate is beloved all over the world but before the classic Hershey milk chocolate bars and kisses, there was Milton Hershey, an apprentice freshly fired from a printing job. Milton didn’t let setbacks get in the way of his success. He worked hard perfecting his core ingredients and dusted himself off again and again even as his investments dwindled.

It took three failed candy companies before Milton got it right with his namesake brand. Rather than cater to the well-heeled consumers, be brought milk chocolate to the masses. This was the secret to Hershey’s lasting legacy.