High school graduates often regard graduation as a high point of their youth, but they have no idea about the excitement they could have had by dropping out to follow their own dreams. You can hang a high school diploma on your wall, but it doesn't give you the kick that comes from earning millions of dollars. High school can be a dead end that slows you down and saps your energy while you wait to start building your fortune, but you can change your future for the better.
Finding Your Muse
Inspiration may come to you as musical talent or as a unique ability in retailing, drawing cartoons, modeling, food preparation, business, boxing, or automobiles. Maybe your muse will inspire you to do something that no one else has thought of. You can find details like these about the lives of millionaire dropouts at the Huffington Post, Forbes, SocyBerty and elsewhere on the web that can inspire you to put your dreams into action.
1. Jay-Z
Now holding a 10-year contract for $150 million with Live Nation, Jay-Z was known as Shawn Carter when he dropped out of a Brooklyn high school to sell drugs. After selling a single to Def Jam records, he later spent three years as Chief Executive Officer at the company.
2. Quentin Tarantino
Dropping out before he got to the 10th grade, Tarantino has made movies that establish him as one of Hollywood's most successful writers, actors, directors, and producers. You may have enjoyed or been scared by his Kill Bill films, Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, Inglorious Basterds, or Django Unchained among many others.
3. George Foreman
As a 15-year-old tough guy who found boxing an outlet for his talents, Foreman sold his name to a grill manufacturer for nearly $140 million in 1999. Foreman's first experience with national recognition came when he won a gold medal for boxing at the 1968 Olympics.
4. Dave Thomas
Food preparation was the key to success for Thomas who chanced to meet Colonel Sanders. Dropping out of school in New Jersey at age 15, he had been working for three years. He was a millionaire long before he opened his first Wendy's.
5. Johnny Depp
Deciding to become a movie star at age 16, Depp dropped out of high school in Kentucky when his parents divorced. You can see his unique characterizations in movies such as Sleepy Hollow, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sweeney Todd, The Tourist, and the Pirates of the Caribbean series.
6. Bill Cosby
Even though he holds a doctorate now, Cosby dropped out of high school instead of repeating the 10th grade. Focusing on sports instead of getting good grades made joining the Navy a way out for him. His Cosby Show had an eight-year run on television and won numerous awards.
7. Ingvar Kamprad
A thousand times richer than a millionaire, Kamprad is a billionaire who made his fortune by dropping out of high school at age 17 to found IKEA. His company is the largest retailer of furniture in the world and has more than 90,000 employees. With more than 200 stores, IKEA's annual revenues exceed $10 billion.
8. Gisele Bundchen
Maybe more famous as Tom Brady's wife than as a high fashion model, Bundchen started her career when she was only 14 years old. Earning about $25 million a year, she has contracts with Dior and Versace.
9. Richard Branson
Ready to start his adventurous career at age 16, Branson dropped out of high school. Now he is the billionaire owner of the Virgin brand that includes hundreds of companies and the famous Virgin Atlantic Airways.
10. Mark Wahlberg
Dropping out of high school at age 13 to steal cars and sell drugs got Wahlberg arrested and jailed. Turning to hip hop and modeling eventually led him to Hollywood and his millionaire acting career.
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