Inspiration in Life - Oprah Winfrey - Essay Example

In the present day, many individuals have proven that circumstances are not an excuse for failure and that to some extent disability does not inhibit ability. The physically challenged have also shown the rest of humanity that they can deliver beyond expectation. This paper will give a narration on which I tap my inspiration from, the individual’s life story, and the incident that made me choose them as my inspiration. Moreover, this paper will discuss the significance that this personality has in my life and in the lives of others in the realization of the goals and achievements otherwise perceived to be unattainable.

Oprah Winfrey, the most powerful and influential woman in America is my source of inspiration. She is the owner of a vast business empire whose net worth estimation is in billions and billions of dollars. Not all this came easy as she built her economic empire through sweat and a lot of hard work. She was born Oprah Gail Winfrey on January 29, 1954, in Kosciuszko in the state of Mississippi (Fry 1).

Her love for books started at a very tender age and at the age of five, she could read the bible before starting kindergarten. She stayed with her grandmother, Hattie Mae Lee who in turn nurtured the book-reading culture that Oprah had developed. In addition, her idea of one day becoming a great person was highly influenced by her love for television at the age of seven. However, her smooth childhood had its twists as her nineteen-year-old cousin who had to watch over her and her siblings defiled her. In the years after she was also sexually abused by her uncle and by a family friend. She kept silent over the abuses as the abusers told her to keep the incidents a secret.

Despite the sexual abuse hurdles that she had to overcome, Oprah had an astounding performance in high school that led her into joining an all-white high school. Ironically, her good behavior soon changed, as she got pregnant at the age of fourteen because of running away from home. Her mother, not knowing the reason for her rebellion, sent Oprah to her father in Nashville. Her early labor in the seventh month resulted in her delivering a boy who lost his life after two weeks of living. Surprisingly, this experience in her life made her change her ill ways and decided to concentrate on her books and her public speaking ability. Additionally, in 1971 she became the first woman of color to gain a beauty title. Her public speaking prowess also landed her a four-year tertiary institution scholarship while working as a part-time newsreader. Later, she became a student at Tennessee State University and got an offer to work for a local television as a reader for the evening news.

Eventually, her star began to shine in 1976 when she shifted to Baltimore for a Major role in the media industry. She hosted her first talk show in 1984 after her move to Chicago and she has never looked back since then. She also exhibited acting ability and got her first acting job in the movie, The Color Purple, in the year 1985 (Fry 2). Currently, her business empire has made her become one of the richest women of our time. Though childless, she considers the girls she helps educate by financing their needs as her daughters.

Notably, she was the driving force behind President Barak Obama’s election bid in 2008. She also has a book club where she does book reviews with and for her worldwide audience. Exceptionally, she is an advocate for the girl child and her rights all over the continent. She also spearheads many philanthropic activities around the globe which have led to her receiving various global awards. She has proved to be a symbol of strength, courage, repute, inspiration, and comfort to both men and women alike irrespective of her not-so-easy upbringing.

In conclusion, Oprah’s life is of great significance in my life as she used her hurdles as stepping-stones to her bright future. In my life, people have stepped on me at various points but that has never hindered me from exhausting my ultimate potential. I have chosen not to make excuses as an obstacle to my success just like Oprah. Her abusive childhood has helped her touch the lives of many because it encourages people not to suffer in silence. Her enormous economic contribution to America has proved that no race is inferior to the other and given the opportunity, an individual can be resourceful despite their native origin. In this regard, her life story gives me the hope that things eventually work out for the better and my experiences are not in vain. Read More