From Steve Jobs to Winston Churchill: 9 life lessons from history's most successful people

It may just be that the harder you work, the more luck you seem to have

Steve Jobs (Getty)

We all need a little inspiration and motivation sometimes.

If you want to achieve your goals, who better to look to than some of the most successful people of all time?

Perhaps the knack of being able to come up with an inspiring quote comes alongside success…

Here are nine inspirational life lessons we can learn from some of history’s most successful people:

1. Nothing’s impossible if you’re courageous enough

“All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” - Walt Disney

As wide-eyed children, we all had dreams we wanted to make reality, but the older we get, the more we seem to forget those.

But it’s important to keep dreaming - if you only have enough courage, the dream that you wish can come true.

2. Life isn’t a race

“It does not matter how slowly you go, so long as you do not stop.” - Confucius

In this social media age, it’s particularly hard not to compare yourself to others - oh look, your old school friend has just bought a house, your ex has got engaged and your uni mate is a successful executive.

But if you haven’t hit those marks yet, don’t worry. As long as you keep going, you’ll get there.

3. Yolo

“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” - Mae West

Legendary American star West had an entertainment career spanning seven decades and certainly lived a colourful life.

Yolo has become an overused phrase, but there’s a lot to be said for it - we do only live once, so make the most of it. Further down the line, you’re far more likely to regret the things you didn’t do than those you did.

4. Don’t let rejection knock you down

“Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” - Winston Churchill

Even the most successful people in the world got rejected from jobs and failed at some of their endeavours, which is important to remember when you keep trying without getting anywhere.

You can still achieve great things despite failing, as long as you stay enthusiastic and don’t let yourself be knocked down.

5. Roll with the times

“It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” - Charles Darwin

If there’s anyone who’d know about how to evolve well, it’s Darwin.

To succeed, it’s important to accept change - be that regarding language, society or technology. It’s the only way to stay relevant.

6. Bad times are necessary for you to appreciate the good

“The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.” - Dolly Parton

When you’re going through something hard, remind yourself that if you never had anything negative in your life, you’d never get any joy from anything positive.

Remember as well that it’s through experiencing adversity that we become stronger individuals, and the next time will be easier as a result.

7. Work hard

“I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.” - Thomas Jefferson

It’s a simple one, but the more you put in, the more you get out.

People who put positivity out into the world tend to get it back, and the same goes for hard work. By putting in the effort, you’ll reap the rewards.

8. Celebrate achievement

“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.”- Oprah Winfrey

It’s not very British to make a fuss, but by celebrating the good things in your life, you’ll learn to focus on the positives more and thus find more things worth celebrating.

By rewarding and praising both yourself and others, you may notice there are a lot more good things out there that warrant a celebration, whether big or small.

9. Don’t waste your time doing a job you don’t love

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it.” - Steve Jobs

A lot of people hate their jobs, which is incredibly sad considering how much of our lives we spend at work.

Life’s too short to waste doing something you don’t enjoy and there will be something out there you’ll love so much it won’t feel like work, so don’t settle till you’ve found it.