Real Life Inspirational Stories of Success for Students | 15+ stories to inspire students today

real-life-inspirational-stories-for-students

Each person who shared their story here overcame great challenges in order to achieve the success they have today. Some conquered obstacles like poverty, lack of support, others were uprooted from their homes. Some students faced debilitating illness and serious trauma, others overcame challenges like bullying, dyslexia, incarceration, or lack of confidence as an adult student (and more).

We hope students the world over, will be inspired by these real life stories shared from Australia, India, Greece, Pakistan, Philippines, Uganda, USA and Vietnam .

The Boy Who Hated Santa Claus | Inspiring Story #27

Inspiring story about a boy who rises above his circumstances and learns to give the greatest gift of all . It’s Christmas day.

From Herding Buffalo to Achieving Dreams | Turning Challenges into Stepping-Stones for Success | by Rasool Bux Sarang | Inspiring Story #184

From herding buffalo in a small Pakistani village to pursuing an MBA and attaining career success . Learn how Rasool Bux used

From Rejection to Setting Records: Cerebral Palsy Champion Redefines Disabled to Distinctly-Abled by Dr. Riitesh Sinha | Inspiring Story #181

Diagnosed with quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy, Dr. Riitesh Sinha redefines the notion of 'Disabled' to 'Distinctly Abled.' From setting records to empowering countless

Poverty to Philanthropy: How Agape Love is Empowering Orphans Through Education | Inspiring Story #172

From growing up in poverty to becoming a successful student at the best university in Uganda, Sheilla Amanya's journey was far from

Out of the Slum and into University | by Imran Rautan | Inspiring Story #170

Imran grew up in a slum colony. At eight years old, he was sent to work stone cutting and polishing. Life was

Who Inspires Me? | A surprising insight into who inspires a young high school student and why | by Shannon Chenault | Inspiring Story #167

Shannon, a high school student from Missouri, ponders the question of who inspires her the most. Without a doubt, one person had

Against the Odds | A Child’s Journey from Absolute Poverty to Prosperity by Giang Luu | Inspiring Story #139

Born into the poorest family in a poor village in Vietnam, Giang couldn't imagine a way out of poverty. At eleven years

From Making Bricks, to Building His Own Education Centre | Boy from DR Congo Transforms His Life (and the Lives of Others) | Inspiring Story #152

After war breaks out, Mugisha is forced to flee and register as a refugee in Uganda. In this inspirational story, Mugisha shares

Changing the Headline of Your Life | Your Choice To Retell Your Story

Picture a young girl, the sixth child in a family of seven children. The family lived one street over from an industrial

Rising Above Rejection | When the Best Revenge is Success by Jennievi Dunque | Inspiring Story #136

The Best Revenge is Success. Rejection, failure, misfortune, and humiliation. This happened to me but, I chose to rise. This is my

New Life. New Me. By Linda Strader | Inspiring Story #127

A beautiful (and entertaining) story inspired by Linda Strader's latest book “​​​​Uprooted, a New Life in the Arizona Sun - prequel to her

While There’s Life There’s Hope | From Traumatic Brain Injury to Graduating Top 10 with Honors | By Sushmita Saha | Inspiring Story #116

"While there's life, there's hope." One Friday night, Sushmita Saha's seventeen-year-old son fails to return home. She soon discovers he is in

Faith & Finding a Way | A Doctor’s Journey Through Debilitating Illness | by Dr Manisha Rayavarapu | Inspiring Story #112

On the verge of succeeding as a Doctor, Manisha is diagnosed with a chronic illness. In the face of insurmountable challenges, read

Village Boy Finds a Way then Pays It Forward | By Nawaz Khan | Inspiring Story #109

A boy from a poor family in a small village travels to the city to get a job to pay for his

From Skipping School to PhD | A Village Boy’s Remarkable Journey | by Dr Parashram Patil Inspiring Story #106

Photograph by Mohd Aram, Unsplash Inspirational story about an ordinary village boy from India who grew up on a cashew farm. His

Who Called You Stupid? | Story about Succeeding with Dyslexia by M. Waterman | Inspiring Story #103

Simon didn't think he had any issue with being adopted. That was until he found out his childhood teddy bear had been

Born To Be Different by Ashleigh Ewald | Inspiring Story #89

Born in China with a cleft lip, orphaned, then living in foster homes until she was seven, Ashleigh wished her life

My Leap into Meaningful Life with Adam Johnson | Inspiring Story #45

Adam thinks it's too late to start over. He fears losing his security. But with a gentle prompt from his

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READ MORE INSPIRING STORIES
The Boy Who Hated Santa Claus | Inspiring Story #27
Born Poor Doesn’t Mean Staying Poor | Rewriting My Family Legacy | By Joshua Atwebembire | Inspiring Story #190
From Herding Buffalo to Achieving Dreams | Turning Challenges into Stepping-Stones for Success | by Rasool Bux Sarang | Inspiring Story #184
Tiny Dog, Huge Pawprint | How a Corporate Executive & His Furry Friend Embrace Change and Unleash Joy into Life | by Thomas Corr | Inspiring Story #183
From Rejection to Setting Records: Cerebral Palsy Champion Redefines Disabled to Distinctly-Abled by Dr. Riitesh Sinha | Inspiring Story #181
No Excuses | Mother of 12 Graduated Top of Her Class Aged 49 | by Janine Durso | Inspiring Story #176

Join the Conversation…

LisaLisa on Ink Deep | Silent Story of Strength as Told By My Tattoo | by Liam Mills | Inspiring Story #198 : “ Very impressed by your tattoo and I have a friend whose tattoo’s tell her story and they are so beautiful.… ” Sep 12, 13:30

knycx journeying on Ink Deep | Silent Story of Strength as Told By My Tattoo | by Liam Mills | Inspiring Story #198 : “ interesting and intriguing read because we get to a very personal level of a person in the story and also… ” Sep 12, 09:02

Marysa on Ink Deep | Silent Story of Strength as Told By My Tattoo | by Liam Mills | Inspiring Story #198 : “ What a great, inspiring story. It is always interesting to hear people’s stories and what shapes them. ” Sep 12, 01:00

Franisc verso on Ink Deep | Silent Story of Strength as Told By My Tattoo | by Liam Mills | Inspiring Story #198 : “ I have always loved to know the story behind each tattoo because most of my friends tell me the story… ” Sep 11, 23:40

Julie on Ink Deep | Silent Story of Strength as Told By My Tattoo | by Liam Mills | Inspiring Story #198 : “ Congratulations on beating cancer, and for sharing your personal journey. I love the meaning behind your tattoo, especially as a… ” Sep 10, 23:10

Ben on Ink Deep | Silent Story of Strength as Told By My Tattoo | by Liam Mills | Inspiring Story #198 : “ I really feel this. I have a few tattoos, and they all tell a different story in part of my… ” Sep 10, 18:50

Luna S on Ink Deep | Silent Story of Strength as Told By My Tattoo | by Liam Mills | Inspiring Story #198 : “ What an inspirational story! It is always interesting finding out the meaning behind the tattoos people get whether it is… ” Sep 10, 18:40

Stephanie on Ink Deep | Silent Story of Strength as Told By My Tattoo | by Liam Mills | Inspiring Story #198 : “ Such an inspiring story! I’ve often thought a tattoo is the ultimate way to express oneself and tell one’s story… ” Sep 10, 17:58

Beth on Ink Deep | Silent Story of Strength as Told By My Tattoo | by Liam Mills | Inspiring Story #198 : “ I really loved reading about your tattoo! I have a friend with a ton of tattoos, and every one of… ” Sep 10, 17:46

Kimberley Asante on Ink Deep | Silent Story of Strength as Told By My Tattoo | by Liam Mills | Inspiring Story #198 : “ Your story about the meaning behind your tattoo is incredibly moving and powerful. It’s inspiring to see how a symbol… ” Sep 10, 15:32

Renata Feyen on From Despair to Healing | Finding Peace and Purpose Beyond War and Addiction | by Murindangabo Rugaragara | Inspiring Story #200 : “ It’s good that he found peace. Sharing his story might help others know how to cope with those haunting thoughts ” Jul 17, 20:23

Richard Lowe on From Despair to Healing | Finding Peace and Purpose Beyond War and Addiction | by Murindangabo Rugaragara | Inspiring Story #200 : “ This is an inspiring story. I am glad you were able to find peace and healing, and can help others. ” Jul 16, 16:26

knycx journeying on From Despair to Healing | Finding Peace and Purpose Beyond War and Addiction | by Murindangabo Rugaragara | Inspiring Story #200 : “ It really had been a roller coaster through both war, and personally drama. Thanks a lot for sharing this story… ” Jul 16, 06:34

Franisc verso on From Despair to Healing | Finding Peace and Purpose Beyond War and Addiction | by Murindangabo Rugaragara | Inspiring Story #200 : “ I’m sorry this happened, but good you found peace and recovered from this. Thank you for sharing this with us.… ” Jul 16, 02:12

Catherine Kay on From Despair to Healing | Finding Peace and Purpose Beyond War and Addiction | by Murindangabo Rugaragara | Inspiring Story #200 : “ Thanks for sharing this very inspirational story! Once someone can overcome addiction, they can be helpful to others with similar… ” Jul 15, 14:55

LisaLisa on From Despair to Healing | Finding Peace and Purpose Beyond War and Addiction | by Murindangabo Rugaragara | Inspiring Story #200 : “ What an inspiring story, we never know what others are dealing with but it’s so great to read he’s found… ” Jul 15, 14:19

Emily on From Despair to Healing | Finding Peace and Purpose Beyond War and Addiction | by Murindangabo Rugaragara | Inspiring Story #200 : “ Healing from intense trauma can be such a difficult thing to overcome! What an inspiring story for those who might… ” Jul 15, 13:19

Stephanie on From Despair to Healing | Finding Peace and Purpose Beyond War and Addiction | by Murindangabo Rugaragara | Inspiring Story #200 : “ What a beautiful and inspiring story! One can suffer quite greatly and find the strength to come out by helping… ” Jul 15, 12:20

Franisc verso on Change Your Life by Changing Your Thoughts | How a Tragic Accident Taught Me to Rethink Life | by Lori Gradley | Inspiring Story #196 : “ Oh my god, this is very dangerous and scary. I’ve had an accident as well and I learned from it… ” Jun 23, 09:52

Karen on Change Your Life by Changing Your Thoughts | How a Tragic Accident Taught Me to Rethink Life | by Lori Gradley | Inspiring Story #196 : “ What a transformation! Celebrating the commitment you and your parents made to persevere and fight for your healing. ” Jun 22, 15:39

Michelle on Change Your Life by Changing Your Thoughts | How a Tragic Accident Taught Me to Rethink Life | by Lori Gradley | Inspiring Story #196 : “ While I can’t even imagine receiving news like that, it’s incredible how it reset the course of your life going… ” Jun 21, 14:44

Richard Lowe on Change Your Life by Changing Your Thoughts | How a Tragic Accident Taught Me to Rethink Life | by Lori Gradley | Inspiring Story #196 : “ Sounds like a terrible accident. I’m glad you got through it and learned some lessons from the experience. ” Jun 20, 17:30

Claudia on Change Your Life by Changing Your Thoughts | How a Tragic Accident Taught Me to Rethink Life | by Lori Gradley | Inspiring Story #196 : “ I love stories like this. We can’t control what happens to us, but we can control what we do afterward. ” Jun 20, 13:53

claud on Change Your Life by Changing Your Thoughts | How a Tragic Accident Taught Me to Rethink Life | by Lori Gradley | Inspiring Story #196 : “ This is such a powerful story. I’m so in awe of the way she transformed an adversity into a life-changing… ” Jun 20, 13:53