These 10 people, some dead and some alive must be idolized by you and must be followed through their biographies or on websites. They must be idolized by you so you can see where they went wrong and what they did right to succeed. They used to be just like you, but how did they become successful? Well, that’s exactly why you have to follow them.
10 people who you must follow-
1. Steve Jobs.
He was on the top of my mind actually. A college dropout who decided to sell desktop computers when people didn’t even know what computers could do, started a revolution in the tech industry and became an idol for millions around the world. Yes, he might not know how to code, but he’s skilled in the rest. The biography Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson will give you a detailed insight about the visionary.
2. Swami Vivekananda.
A man who was skeptic when it came to matters of God, chose the spiritual path when his master Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa opened his eyes, widened his gaze and taught him what spirituality actually meant. This took Vivekananda on a mission in philosophy and spirituality. He became a symbol of pride in India and it has remained till today. He started the Ramakrishna Mission organisaton that focuses on spiritual movements, health care, disaster relief, tribal welfare, etc., How Americans see quotes of Bob Marley on posters, Indians see quotes of Vivekananda and they’re a lot more insightful than Marley’s quotes.
3. Richard Branson.
Another dropout who decided to take control of his own destiny is a wonderful story and a memoir for others to follow. He’s the founder of the Virgin group of companies. I’ve actually lost track of the industries Virgin operates in; They’re everywhere! His love for adventure, ballooning, entrepreneurship, love, etc., took him on an amazing journey and is all written in his autobiography – Losing My Virginity.
4. Narendra Modi.
He was recently appointed Prime Minister of India, the largest democracy by the people themselves and he won by about a hundred miles! He started his life as a tea seller at railway and bus stations, along with his brother. Armed with his magnificent oratory skills and the will to be responsible, he climbed the ladder of the Indian politics scene and made his way to become the Chief Minister of the state of Gujarat and then the Prime Minister of the country. The immense level of productive planning and execution earned the people’s trust and now he’s the most influential person in India.
5. Warren Buffet.
An american investor and CEO of the fortune 500 company – Berkshire Hathaway started out his entrepreneurial journey with the smallest of things – stocks. Numbers were his thing and the childhood he had pretty much tells you that he was being prepped to become one of the richest men in America.
6. Christopher Nolan.
The director of Inception and the dark knight series is one of the most brilliant directors who exist. His eye for detail and his pick of actors and the plot of the story, everything is a shadow of who Nolan is. The amount of research that goes into making just one of his movies is exhilarating. I don’t know any book that gives his story, but you can definitely read about him online and he’s definitely a soul to follow.
7. Varun Agarwal.
He might not be as famous as Warren Buffet or Steve Jobs, but his story and his personality is definitely something to be followed. Unlike a few people mentioned above, he isn’t a dropout. An engineering graduate who hated every bit of it decided to start a filming company during college and a clothing company after graduating, became a successful WRITER when he wrote the story of how he braved anu aunty and cofounded a million dollar company – alma mater. The company he started with his partner is now funded and is one of the biggest clothing brands in India. varun also gives speeches regarding how one must pursue their dreams. Here is one TED talk by him,
8. Balaji Vishwanathan.
He is a celebrity in the world of Quora. A lot of people I mentioned are dropouts, but this is one academic person you must follow to find out that the amount of knowledge you have is just too little. The amount of research he puts into writing an answer on Quora will blow your mind. He has 3 degrees in hand and is also an entrepreneur. He met with the former president of India – A.P.J Abdul Kalam to discuss the growth of the country among other things back when he was winning awards from the institution of engineers. All in all, he’s one person you must follow to build your knowledge and your perspective. Here’s a link to his profile on Quora – Balaji Vishwanathan.
9. Oliver Emberton.
Like a lot of people I found out about, I found out about Oliver through Quora. I read a post written by him that read, “The ultimate guide to becoming an entrepreneur” and it changed the way I looked at business. You’ll find out most of the things about his life on his website, www.oliveremberton.com. Basically, he’s a college graduate who started a company with almost nothing and built his way up, pivoted and started writing about what he learned which made him realize that he’s actually a brilliant writer.
10. Bill Gates.
Yeah, you all know him. The man behind modern operating systems. The geeky dropout who decided to do the next big thing for computers. Yes, we all know how he struggled with his company and how Microsoft became of the largest companies in the world. But ever since he retired, he’s been doing something else- Philanthropy. He, along with his wife Melinda gates started Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000 to help a lot of people in a lot of aspects. Now he’s been traveling in India to help organisations fend off malaria as it’s a menace in a large part of India.
Yes, Steve jobs and Bill might have had their differences; Yes, someone might have stolen some ideas from someone, but in the end, they both built great companies, not just businesses. Bill’s personality is definitely something that should be followed.