A Renaissance Woman

The word ‘renaissance’ is a French word meaning ‘rebirth’. Popular examples of renaissance people include the likes of Leonardo Da Vinci, Isaac Newton, Christopher Columbus and William Shakespeare.

But the term ‘renaissance’ can be applied to any one person or movement that makes a positive change within society. In today’s post I’m going to be looking at a more modern example of a renaissance woman; Maya Angelou.

Who is Maya Angelou?

Maya Angelou is not only one of the most well respected writers of her generation, but the recognized spokesperson for black women and the civil rights activism.

Her most prominent literature works, including I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, continue to taught in schools today and have inspired millions of readers with their tragic tackling of difficult themes such as racism, sexual abuse and equality. At the time of their publish, America was divided by segregation. But her words moved the world, and gave them the confidence required to make a change.

Although Maya Angelou has reached successes that many authors, directors and actresses can only dream of, Maya Angelou’s early life and times were difficult. She faced sexual abuse, racial discrimination.

But despite all this she and it’s safe to say that Angelou has become a groundbreaking icon for the global renaissance and her influential voice will always be absorbed into the hearts of those that listen and have evolved under her word.

Forever, Angelou will be known as a poet, novelist, actress, lecturer and civil rights activist who made a difference. And that’s why I chose to write about her life and lessons today.  » Read more..

This post is part of our Inspirational People series, covering the life stories and lessons from some of the worlds most successful and influential people. For more posts like this one, click here.

The Man, the Music, and the Muse: What can you can learn from Steven Patrick Morrissey…

As an avid lover of The Smiths and music as a whole, I thought it was about time that I covered a successful music artist in my inspiration people series because alike authors, directors and actors, being involved in the music industry requires skill, innovation and a dedicated mindset.

Who is Steven Patrick Morrissey?

Morrissey made his success in music, as front man singer and lyricist of independent rock group The Smiths. His name is one that made it’s prestige in the 1980′s but has never been forgotten by generations to come. He has recently been voted the second greatest living icon in the whole of Britain for his ethical work and skills as a music composer.

On the back of Morrissey’s autobiography there is a very powerful quote and it reads; ‘Most pop stars have to be dead before they reach the iconic status that Morrissey has reached in his lifetime’. And that’s exactly why I chose to share with you the life and times of Morrissey today. Because what he has achieved within his field is not only impressive but unique. And that’s something that all of us here share at One Life Success; the drive to have that effect and influence ourselves. » Read more..

This post is part of our Inspirational People series, covering the life stories and lessons from some of the worlds most successful and influential people. For more posts like this one, click here.

Gary Vaynerchuk. Perhaps not quite a world changer yet, but certainly an influencer and one of the many hustling New Yorkers who you may not have heard of, but who is quickly coming up from behind for success.

Vaynerchuk moved to New York as an immigrant, ran several business ventures as a child and spent most of his teenage life working in his father’s liquor store. However, he is now best known for his early online shows of WineLibrary.tv and his intense knowledge and passion for business, success, online media marketing, wine and the hustle.

A Vaynerchuk Life

Gary Vaynerchuk was born on November 14^th, 1975 in Babruysk, U.S.S.R (now known as Belarus) but following the arrival of the soviet cold war, finally moved with his family to Queens, New York at the age of just 3 years old. Here “It was hard-core,” says Gary, “It was super immigrant” but before long his father got a job as a stock boy in a Liquor Store in New Jersey and after some hard-work became both the assistant manager and then manger of the store. » Read more..

This post is part of our Inspirational People series, covering the life stories and lessons from some of the worlds most successful and influential people. For more posts like this one, click here.

Behind every great movie, is a great idea. And behind every great idea is a great person. A person who, strangely enough, was once a lot like you.

Who is Steven Spielberg?

I would be extremely surprised if you told me, you had never heard of the name Steven Spielberg because, Steven Spielberg is a name belonging to a man grabbed the world of cinema by the horns and shook as hard as he could.

Spielberg has covered all genres of movies, from Sci-Fi to Drama, and it’s estimated that these movies alone have grossed $8.5 billion worldwide. His career as a director and co-founder of Dream Works movie studios has stretched over four decades. And yet the man has never made a movie that critics haven’t held in great respect. » Read more..

This post is part of our Inspirational People series, covering the life stories and lessons from some of the worlds most successful and influential people. For more posts like this one, click here.

Abraham Lincoln is well regarded as one of the greatest influencers in American history. With his great appeal and incredible impact, this is the story of his life from ‘humble beginnings’ to the greatest position in America and his changing of it for the better.

Abraham Lincoln: His Life Biography

Abraham Lincoln was born in Hodgeville, Hardin County, Kentucky on the 12^th February 1809 to Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks Lincoln. His father, Thomas was a pioneer who had found a good level of prosperity and was a man of well respect in the community. He had three children with Nancy including Lincoln, his older sister Sarah and younger brother who died as an infant, Thomas.

The family were forced to move from Kentucky to Perry County, Indiana in 1817 due to a land dispute. Here the family had to squat on public land, hunt game and farm a small plot, ending when Thomas eventually brought the land. » Read more..

This post is part of our Inspirational People series, covering the life stories and lessons from some of the worlds most successful and influential people. For more posts like this one, click here.

Up until the first Harry Potter novel struck the shelves in 1997, prestigious female writers had been close to none existent in English Modern Literature Heritage.

What this means to you and I, is that it had been quite some time since the last breakthrough in the writing world had come from a woman. The likes of Harper Lee and Jane Austen had decayed in the minds of society and the world craved a similar shake up again… A shake up that gave Joanne Rowling, who was at the time a poverty-stricken single mother, her greatest turning point and life success. » Read more..

This post is part of our Inspirational People series, covering the life stories and lessons from some of the worlds most successful and influential people. For more posts like this one, click here.

Jim Rohn may just have been a farm boy from Idaho, but he has over the years and in particular his later ones supplied human kind with a wide and life changing set of lessons and philosophies for the people. Through his speeches, talks, seminars and various media products, Rohn’s had a profound impact on the lives of many, including my own, around the world.

In this post it will be the main lessons applicable to and learnt from, his life that we focus on, rather than the lessons he’s taught in his sessions; although many of these are bound to overlap each other.

Jim Rohn’s Life Biography

Emanuel James Rohn, also known as ‘Jim’ Rohn was born to Emanuel and Clara Rohn on the 17^th September 1930 in Yakima, Washington. Jim was born an only child and grew up on a farm, which the Rohn family owned and worked, in Caldwell, Idaho for most of his younger life. » Read more..

This post is part of our Inspirational People series, covering the life stories and lessons from some of the worlds most successful and influential people. For more post’s like this one, click here.

Nancy Yi Fan: Soaring to Sword bird Success…

Nancy Yi Fan may not be a name you’ve ever come across before, mostly because writing, by nature, is quite an introverted form of success. But this doesn’t mean that her success, or her story, is any less valid on the blog. In fact, her story is something that grabbed me, as a young writer myself, like no other ever has.

Who Is Nancy Yi Fan?

Nancy was just ten years old when she started writing the book that would a few years later, become a New York Times bestseller. It’s hard not to be impressed when we consider the likes of Nancy Yi Fan in comparison to ourselves and our children as teenagers today, because even some of the greatest writers do not achieve in their lifetimes as much as Nancy has in the beginning of hers.

So to have released such a popular book series – you may or may not have heard of Sword Bird – before she even left for University is something both noticeable and inspiring to anyone aiming high for the future.

I choose to talk about Nancy today, because it made me wonder what my excuse for not achieving similar success was. But most importantly it made me realize that I wasn’t alone and that there were other young people out there, like me, working hard.

» Read more..