Listen to your Heart...

Here are few examples of famous successful men who have made a mark by listening to their hearts, by not giving up, by working hard day in and day out, by keeping their goals in sight. They had vision and they didn’t hesitate in pursuing their dreams. They trusted their heart and their capability. All you need to be successful in life is right aptitude, attitude, vision and determination.

Bill Gates
William Henry Gates III attended an exclusive prep school in Seattle. He later went to Harvard University and dropped out to take up Software Development. While studying, in 1970, he and Paul Allen wrote the original Altair BASIC interpreter for MITS Altair 8800, first commercially successful PC. In 1975 Micro-soft and later Microsoft Corporation was founded. He has been number one on Forbes 400 for over a dozen years and most important of all he is sharing his success with others for a noble cause; Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation currently provides 90% of world’s budget for eradication of polio.

Dhirubhai Ambani
At the age of 16 he moved to Aden, initially he worked as an attendant at gas station and later as a clerk in an oil company. He started his business at the age of 26 with a meager capital of $375 and today we all can see where Reliance stands. He was awarded with Indian entrepreneur of 20th century by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry. He moved from Rags-to-Riches. He rewrote the Indian Corporate history and single-handedly breathed life into the Indian Stock Market.

Steve Jobs
After graduating Steve Paul Jobs enrolled in Reed College and he dropped out after one semester. In 1976, 21 years old Jobs and 26 years old Steve Wozniak founded Apple Computer Co. in a garage. Jobs popularized the concept of home computers. By 1984, Macintosh was introduced; he contributed in the building of world-wide-web and is CEO and Chairman of Pixar Animation Studios. With the success of iPOD, Apple is bigger than ever. Very few people know that for several years he worked at annual salary of $1.00 and so he is listed in the Guinness Book of world Records as “Lowest paid Chief Executive Officer”. Though, he was once gifted $9 crores jet by the company. His net worth is more than $3 billion.

Michael Dell
Michael Saul Dell joined university of Texas at Austin with intention of becoming a Physician. While still studying, he started a company called PC’s Limited in his dormitory. Success of this company was good enough to prompt Dell to dropout at the age of 19. In 1987 PC’s Limited became Dell Computer Corporation. In 2005, Forbes listed him as 18th richest in the world with a net worth of around $1600 crores.

Subhash Chandra Goel
The ZEE Chairman dropped out after standard 12. At the age of 19 he started his own vegetable oils unit. A casual visit to his friend at Doordarshan gave him idea of starting his Broadcasting Company, and we all know ZEE became a huge success for the man. He knew nothing about programming, distribution or film rights but he very thoroughly understood the Indian sensibility. Funded by a UK businessman ZEE became first satellite channel in India and today it reaches 320 lakhs homes with 20 crore people in South-east Asia alone. It also covers Asians in Africa, America, Europe, Australia and Middle-east.

These guys dared to listen to their hearts and follow their dreams; they worked hard to succeed and results are in right front of us. Though above are the examples of college dropouts who went on to become millionaires, what we don’t know is that though many dropped out only few went on to succeed. This article is just to tell you to pursue your dreams but be sensible in the steps you take.