Your college major does not dictate what path you will take following graduation. Your current job is only as temporary as you will let it be. Failures and obstacles will come to pass but never let defeat or fear keep you from your goals. Anything you are doing now out of a raw necessity can surprise you in the long run. Let these three stories serve as an inspiration and a reminder to not be discouraged if you do not have your life figured out yet.

1. Chris Gardner

If you have seen the Pursuit of Happyness, with actor Will Smith as the lead, then you are already familiar with Gardner's story. As a child, Gardner was a witness to an abusive relationship between his mother and her boyfriend. He was forced to move from foster home to foster home and, once he came of age, joined the Navy. He then worked as a medical salesman in San Francisco which did not provide enough money for him and his family. His luck changed when he met Bob Bridges, a stockbroker. Gardner was inspired by his profession, and upon getting to know Bridges, a relationship ensued. Bridges helped train Gardner which led to Gardner securing an interview at a brokerage firm. According to BBC News, Gardner also faced getting arrested for not paying many parking tickets and once he returned home, saw that his wife had left him. Adding to his troubles, he no longer had money to rent out an apartment, causing him and his son to sleep in public restrooms or wherever they possibly could. Gardner was later admitted into a trainee position at Dean Witter Reynolds (DWR) but was still homeless and poverty-stricken. Even more troubling was that Gardner was forced to incessantly search for a place to sleep and for food to eat for him and his son until DWR presented him with a full-time position. Gardner reaped the benefits of his hard work, and later founded his own investment firm, Gardner Rich & Co, which grew into Christopher Gardner International Holdings.

Take Chris Gardner's story and use it as inspiration to stay persistent and focused on on your own aspirations. Although the challenges that come your way may seem arduous and tiring, keep in mind that doing nothing will only deter you from achieving success.

2. Stephen King

Can you imagine writing a novel and having it rejected 30 times by numerous publishing companies? That is what Stephen King, a struggling teacher at the time, faced with his widely acclaimed novel Carrie. Before having his novel accepted for publication, King and his family lived in a trailer without a fully working car. His teaching job did not provide him with enough money, so he began to write Carrie. Disillusioned by what he had written, King threw the story away. Thankfully, his wife Tabitha King collected his work from the trash, read what he had rejected, and told him she wanted him to continue. King did exactly that and in due time his paperback novel sold over a million copies in the first year. He has since found success for subsequent novels such as The Shining, It, The Green Mile, and much more with over 350 million copies sold.

What you should take away from King's story is that no matter how discouraged you are or how difficult things may seem at first, you must fight the urge to quit. Surround yourself with others who will push you forward, and want to see you succeed. Much power is drawn from positivity, so make an effort to include that in your life in some way, and it will help you persevere.

3. J.K. Rowling

When speaking about overcoming obstacles, J.K. Rowling is one whose story revolves around it. Her mother passed away, her marriage fell apart, and she was jobless without a penny to her name. She openly stated that she dealt with depression and contemplated suicide but her daughter is what kept her going. Not only this, but she had a story in mind that she ultimately wanted to write about, yet had put the story on pause after her mother died. Nevertheless, she completed what she had started. That story is what the world knows today as the incredibly successful Harry Potter series. Publishing companies constantly rejected her work at first though. It was not until her 13th attempt to publish the first novel in the series that she triumphed. Despite rejection and personal and emotional constraints, Rowling has become a world renowned author and a beloved philanthropist.

Rowling's story is a testament that you can learn so much from your failures. The key is to use those failures as a catalyst for success.