These were explored when Redditor Fronzie7 quoted a famous music icon to ask:
"Frank Sinatra said, 'The best revenge is massive success' What's a real-life example of this?"
Everyone loves a good Hollywood ending.
You Know You've Made It When You're On A Lunchbox
"Michael J.Fox has a great story about when he started out. Some big wheel at the network didn't like him for the role of Alex P. Keaton on Family Ties. He was too short, not cute, not heart throb enough, you're never going to see his face on a lunch box. But the producer cast him anyway and the show shot to number one and stayed there."
"Fox sent him a Family Ties lunch box with his face on it and then Back to the Future 1,2,3 lunch boxes."
– Hazelsmom64
A Rocky Start To An Amazing Career
"Sylvester Stallone as well. Casting agents told him he was too stupid looking and he'd only get small roles as the thug who got beaten up. He said he literally went to every casting agent in NYC and got rejected by all of them."
"Even after he wrote Rocky and found producers, they didn't want him to star in it."
– YounomsayinMawfk
The Dreamgirl Who Never Stopped Dreaming
"Jennifer Hudson lost American Idol and became more successful than the winner."
– Stashdragon
"She is a recent EGOT winner and the youngest woman to do it. 7th Place looks fantastic on her."
– jdmccoy
Against all odds, the end result was a victory for these accomplished individuals.
Home Surveillance Home Run
"The guy who invented Ring cameras went on Shark Tank and was rejected by everyone. They all thought it would fail….we’ll you know the rest."
– Ruzzthabus
"He went back on Shark Tank after that, but this time as one of the sharks."
– 1Land_1Keep
The Skies The Limit
"Ron McNair had the police called on him when he was little because he was black and reading in a library. He grew up to be an astronaut and the library he was kicked out of was later named after him."
– sperdush
"For those who may not be familiar with his name; he was one of the Challenger crew members on January 28, 1986."
– This-Marsupial-6187
Emerged From The Shallow
"When Lady GaGa was in college, some of her classmates had a Facebook group called 'Stefani Germanotta, you'll never be famous.'"
"Pretty sure she proved them wrong."
– NotHisRealName
Now these are smart business moves.
Recipe For Success
"Erin French, chef-owner of restaurant The Lost Kitchen in rural Maine."
"Co-owned a restaurant in the town of Belfast with her husband; a very tumultuous relationship ended with him changing the locks on the building with all of her equipment inside."
"She licked her wounds, leased space in an old mill building in her tiny hometown of Freedom, and built from the ground one of the best restaurants in the country, with a coveted reservation that is fabled for its difficulty to get a table. Has her own multi-season documentary on TV and is absolutely killing it in the culinary world now."
– Girhinomofe
A Toy Story
"George Lucas got the ownership of the toy rights to star wars because they don’t think it would be successful. He made an absolute killing on those."
– Birds-aint-real-
"Not just the toy rights, he got the entire IP in exchange for waiving is salary."
– xdert
Lamborghini Origin Story
"Italian industrialist, builder of tractors, made a mint out of it and rewarded himself with a new Ferrari."
"Ferrari broke down. Needed a new clutch. Wealthy industrialist waited patiently for his new clutch to arrive, and after many weeks it finally showed up - same clutch he was putting in his tractors, more than twice the price."
"A little bit annoyed at this, he rang Ferrari to complain. They told him 'go back to building tractors, leave supercars to us.'"
"And Lamborghini was born..."
– RaffiaWorkBase
Gaming Victory
"Sony and Nintendo were working on a console together before the N64 came out, intending to utilize Nintendo's gaming hardware combined with Sony's sound tech to create games with more immersive sound capabilities than have been seen before. Partway through development and immediately following Sony's announcement of their partnership, Nintendo backed out of the deal, which if you're not aware of Japanese business etiquette, is kind of a d*ck move."
"Nintendo backed out to work with Philips to put Nintendo games on the CDi, which resulted in the worst-received Nintendo games of all time."
"Sony, out of spite, went on to make the PlayStation, one of the best-selling consoles in gaming history, and cement themselves as a massive player in the console wars to this day."
– Critical-String8774
Be Kind And Rewind
"Blockbuster laughed baby Netflix out of the room with their idea. Then later, grown-up Netflix killed blockbuster."
– ChurroForSure-o
"Best thing for Netflix, really. Blockbuster would have driven themselves and the Netflix rent model out of business through mismanagement."
"I don't know about you, but I can't live in a world without Voltron: Legendary Defender."
– Tobias_Atwood
So what's the moral of the story?
Basically, always be kind and never make anyone feel less than they deserve. You never know what the future brings, and you putting down someone for your own fleeting gain will come back to haunt you.
Also, remember that karma works in mysterious ways.
Redditor ipeeontoiletseats wanted to hear from everyone who has given life a new course after some darker times. They asked all of you to share:
"How did you turn your life around?"
I need to hear this advice.
I'm all ears.
Over It
Who Cares GIF by Judge JudyGiphy"Stopped caring about things I can't control and put all my energy into the things I can. it sounds hard, but there's actually a lot you can control and that doesn't leave much room for the other stuff."
densestdenise
"bad neighborhood"
"When I was a teenager I was homeless. A lot of places wouldn't hire me because I had no experience or interview clothes. I went to the board of education and begged the HR lady to give me a chance at any job. I told her I'd scrub the school with a toothbrush if they paid me."
"They made me a general sub for clerical. I took a call for one of the 'bad neighborhood' schools that some others turned down. Walked across town to get there every day do I had to start walking at 4:30 am to be on time. I wore dress clothes from a church mission that were way too big but I did my best."
"After four months they gave me a long-term position. Then a permanent one with benefits. I saved up enough for an apartment (finding a landlord okay with renting to an 18 year old homeless girl was hard) and started college. I haven't been homeless a day since in the last 15 years. I even have a house now."
kalooboo
Never Give Up
"I quit drinking when I was 24 went back to college when I was 26 and graduated at 29."
LaineCochrane
"I had to take a break from college cause of depression and dumb decisions I made during my fourth year. I'm 23 and I still haven’t gone back. Always feel like I'm wasting my time, but this is inspiring to pick myself back up and go finish. Thank you for sharing."
saguirr97
"You are still so young! Go and finish it up. I finally went back to school last fall at the young age of 32. It's never too late!"
sunsguy87
You First
"Decided it's ok to put yourself first no matter what. I don't mean that go ahead and cheat and lie for your benefits."
"For example, I was seeing this toxic person for some time and I was the one always compromising and making efforts."
"When things finally ended, I chose to cut off all contact from that person while they wanted to remain in touch (for support or validation). I felt bad and selfish while doing it but starting to feel better about myself now that that person is out of my life."
"You need to be selfish if the other person is being selfish too."
aaebrownguy
Chances
Super Bowl Ok GIF by PepsiGiphy"Quit a job that wasn't making me happy, went back to college."
Shinespark7
"Just literally handed in my notice at my shi**y office job during a global pandemic/tanking economy to go back to college this September. I’m 29 and scared shi*less!! This has given me hope."
surebegrandlike
College isn't going anywhere.
Even you you go one class at a time.
Be Best
ichabod crane mirror GIFGiphy"I decided to stop comparing myself to my brother and try to focus on the improvable."
TheBearBearian
"That is great advice. Your brother is killing it we all look bad next to him. As awesome as he is, there is no real benchmark in success, and being our own better person is really what matters."
Nounoon
Finances
"Paid off my debts slowly but surely and worked my a** off to buy a house. Took years but it was worth it."
TheRealReapz
"Getting there myself. The debt part anyway. Would be faster if I wasn’t paying my way through grad school, but I should be debt free with a Master’s degree in two years. :) "
"I am very lucky and was able to have the opportunity to pay off all mine and my wife's debt. It's amazing how much more money you have when you don't have interest payments."
irocgts
Be Selfish
"Decided it's ok to put yourself first no matter what. I don't mean that go ahead and cheat and lie for your benefits."
"For example, I was seeing this toxic person for some time and I was the one always compromising and making efforts."
"When things finally ended, I chose to cut off all contact from that person while they wanted to remain in touch (for support or validation). I felt bad and selfish while doing it but starting to feel better about myself now that that person is out of my life."
"You need to be selfish if the other person is being selfish too."
aaebrownguy
Moving on Up
"Moving out of my parent's house. I was living with my parents (which is very common thing in India) until end of my med school. I've been in my comfort zone all my life and had everything I need. That led to depression and all I wanted is to live by myself and to get out of my bubble. Now, I can't say I figured it all but I definitely feel better."
yashwanthjoey
Feel the Burn
Excited Mood GIFGiphy"I heavily reduced sugar when I was 21 and started resistance training . 2 years later and I am feeling the best I have ever felt, have so much energy and self confidence because I actually like the way I look now. Clothes fit so much better as well."
eleuthero_maniac
So many ways to start again. Don't give up.
We need to hear more good news. I'm so exhausted from the gloom. Cheer me up.
Eat It
"Scientists have discovered a worm that can digest plastic, and they are currently trying to copy it's digestive system. This can help solve a huge problem."
my_username_30
It's Doable
"An Arkansas school district installed 1,400 solar panels, turned a $250k deficit into a 1.8 million dollar surplus due to the amount of energy they saved, and are now raising teachers' salaries by 2,000 or 3,000 dollars."
washyourhands--
"School of dreams!"
InfamousPudding6052
Deep Breathes
"On the surface of Mars, the mars rover was able to successfully separate oxygen from carbon dioxide."
Upstairs_Toe_1402
"That's interesting, but if people are hoping for a breathable Mars, it's far from the only hurdle. Mars' atmosphere is much too thin to ever be surface friendly and IIRC has no ozone layer. Still, it's useful potential technology for any subsurface colony."
imgrandojjo
Webb
"The public release of the first images captured by the Webb space telescope is just ten days away!"
JuniusBobbledoonary
"I've been counting down the days for this! I don't participate in astrophotography myself but I'm absolutely fascinated by it and blown away by what we already have. The Hubble deep-field blew my mind when it really soaked in for me. Webb is immensely more powerful so I can't wait to see what comes through in the future from it."
Merry_Dankmas
Action!
Movie Theater Reaction GIF by CBSGiphy"Some journalist wrote something based off of one of my tweets and now I accidentally named a movie. Even if it sucks I hope the film gets a release since that's a notch on my belt."
artpalos
Now this is the news we need to hear. CNN should sprinkle more of this in.
"Whiskey War"
Alec Baldwin Whiskey GIF by Product HuntGiphy"Canada and Greenland (Government of Denmark) have just come to a peaceful resolution of the 38 year territorial dispute over the highly coveted Hans Island, where they've agree to share the island and split it right down the middle. This is of course the famed 'Whiskey War.' The main aspect of it (swapping schnapps with whiskey or vice versa), I imagine, will remain in some part as a celebrated border-crossing tradition."
i_f**kin_luv_it_mate
Miracles
"Several extremely promising treatments for cancer are being developed."
46from1971
"As someone who lost their dad to cancer, seeing all these breakthroughs is so exciting. He did some experimental treatments, and I know that he helped move some of this along."
OHManda30
"I lost both of mine to cancer… specifically pancreatic cancer for my mom. I heard about the potential breakthroughs with finding a cure for the disease. I’m beyond excited for what this could mean for people suffering."
TheCallousCurd
The kids are alright...
"I was at the Phoenix airport a couple weeks ago. An older gentleman sat next to me at our gate. Both his feet were wrapped in some sort of bandage and he was struggling to get around with a cane. On his other side were a pair of teenagers just giggling over kitten videos on their phones."
"They were strangers but made sure this man got helped to the restroom, had a drink, carried his bag, got to his seat, had access to a wheelchair when he got off the plane! It was seamlessly selfless. The kids are alright. They really are. I'm 47. I am seeing it around me so often."
GoingApeCostume
Wonderful!
"Polio was officially eliminated from Africa last year."
Less_Reflection_7601
"I was in Africa ten years ago and saw it a lot. It's devastating and tragic, and oh so preventable. What a great thing to hear for those people!"
M33tm3onmars
"break the cycle"
Bel Air Reaction GIF by PeacockTVGiphy"More people are seeking to 'break the cycle' of all the crap they had to deal with as children, and I couldn't be prouder."
No-Championship21
You name it...
"The amount of machines in development to clean up plastic pollution is just crazy. Want a large boat patrolling the oceans? What about a small drone for busy waters? A gate stopping plastic in rivers from entering the oceans in the first place? You name it, someone is working on it."
MarcoYTVA
Rubbish
"The ocean cleaner that everyone said wouldn't do anything years ago has carried itself into an outstanding success!"
MsMcClane
"They've also figured out like 7 locations where all the ocean rubbish ends up because of currents. Wonder if this is going to be targeted there now?"
_artbreaker
"Are you sure about that? Last time I checked the number of trash that we dumped in the ocean was several times larger than what any of these projects could clean."
lazyfinger
"trigger"
"Astronomer here! I'm pretty psyched for the first James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) pictures and data, which will be released to the public in just 10 days! One is going to be of the farthest galaxies we've ever seen, and one is going to be of the spectrum of an exoplanet, and probably one or two other things showing the capability of the telescope we don't know yet. The fact that JWST has worked without a hitch, and that we are finally getting to see all this, is so exciting!"
"My own group has JWST time by the way, to study a neutron star merger (I'm not on it, but will definitely be looking over the shoulder of the person in charge when our data comes in!). Our time starts this very month and lasts for a year, and we have no idea when the universe will deliver on the 'trigger' we need to spin JWST in that direction- could be later today, could be in June 2023- I guess we shall see!"
Andromeda321
Hey Jon
Excited John Cena GIF by WWEGiphy"There is a video going around of this Ukrainian refugee woman who told her son that they were going to see Jon Cena in order to get him to escape with her. Jon Cena heard the story and flew over there to see them so he could meet her son."
idk0897
Smells
"I bought a mess ton of milkweed and wildflowers and got rid of 20% of my grass lawn to make a meadow. Bees are thriving in my lawn. I also successfully seed bombed quite a few places in my area from last year's fall that are BLOOMING this year."
SadlyCantGoToEdc
"Good on you! I keep my yard wild and full of flowers. They are pretty but they are for the bees mostly. Have you smelled the milkweed flowers? They smell so good!"
MartoufCarter
501st Legion
"Chapters of the 501st Legion, people dressing as Star Wars characters, visit children's hospitals all over the world. Connecticut has free admission all Summer for kids at museums, zoos and aquariums."
Bigbird_Elephant
"My neighbor is in the 501st! They do a lot of good."
IvoryRosebud93
Killing the Layers
"Ozone layer has been almost 100% repaired after the CFC bans from years ago."
PulverizedAnus
"Really? Do you mind linking your sauce? I didn't think that was possible so soon, like I know CFC's are the worst for Ozone, but I thought there are still plenty of other ozone depleting gases we're producing - methane, halons, nitrous dioxide, etc."
i_f**kin_luv_it_mate
"I've been wondering about this lately. I remember CFCs being called the worst thing for the environment in the 90s, and that we needed to stop using aerosol cans immediately. But I still see aerosols everywhere."
thespickler
I See
Happy Feeling Good GIFGiphy"I know it may be selfish to put here but I’m proud of myself for this. I went from not seeing a purpose in living to living every day with purpose."
DudeManThing1
See there is some good in the world. Let's report more.
