Paulo Coelho is the author of the acclaimed book “The Alchemist,” which has sold more than 65 million copies in 80 different languages. But it was a long and winding road to that success. Coelho dropped out of law school and pursued failed careers in acting, theater directing, journalism, and songwriting before becoming a celebrated author. What’s more, “The Alchemist,” first published in 1988, originally sold fewer than 1,000 copies, and the publisher decided not to reprint the book. But Coelho didn't give up. He kept trying and found another publisher willing to take a chance on him. His story shows that it’s not how many times you get knocked down that defines a life, but whether you have the strength and persistence to keep getting up and moving forward.

Actress-turned-writer Ruth Gordon was familiar with courage as a perpetual exercise. After a Broadway debut and a handful of successful films in the 1940s, she took a 22-year absence from movies, preferring the visceral courage of stage acting. After marrying screenwriter Garson Kanin, Gordon dove into new territory once again by collaborating with him on screenplays, netting several Oscar nominations. When she did return to the screen, her quirky characters in films such as "Rosemary's Baby" and "Harold and Maude" made her a cult favorite. Gordon’s commitment to new ventures inspires us to embrace unfamiliar experiences: The more we do, the less frightening they’ll be, and the more we can grow.