People who have succeeded by giving up?

Question

Well yeah, as the title says. I just read this passage about knowing when to give up - and started wondering if there have been any famous people or stuff who have made the right choice by giving up.

Anyone? =D

Answer 1

Sylvia Plath, when she killed herself, and all other famous people who killed themselves.

Yeah, that's not what you mean, I know.

Hm...

Winston Churchill twice failed the entrance exam at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, and then, I suppose, gave up trying to get in. He had many defeats before he became PM, but he eventually did.

Oh, and I guess these people 'gave up,' in that they changed their career paths to become the great talents that we know them as today:

--At 22, Johnny Cash went from decoding Russian communications for the Air Force to recording his first country single at Sun Records.

--Martha Stewart used to be a fashion model; is now a business mogul

--Arnold Schwarzenegger used to be an actor/action hero; now he's a politician

--Dan Brown used to be a teacher; now he's a hugely rich bestselling author

Answer 2

Italy has not won a war in 2000 years.

Answer 3

People who diet succeed by 'giving up' (giving up high calorie food)

Answer 4

Adolf Hitler gave up trying to go to art school, when he failed the entrance exam. So he became a politician, and then a dictator.

Josef Stalin gave up trying to be a Georgian Orthodox priest, when he failed to take his examinations, and was expelled from the seminary. So, he became a revolutionist, and then a dictator

I once read that he only successful revolution in ancient China was led by a man who had failed many times to pass the civil service test, that was required for joining the Mandarin ruling class.

The Japanese Emperor, Hirohito, remained in office during the early US occupation of Japan. Eventually, however, he gave up being Emperor, to became a marine biologist, and wrote books on that subject.