We see success everywhere we look. It’s on our Instagram feeds in the form of perfect travel photos, on TV in the form of celebrity interviews, and on magazine covers celebrating the latest young billionaire. From the outside, success looks like a highlight reel: a smooth, upward climb filled with talent, glamour, and overnight breakthroughs. It’s easy to look at these polished stories and feel like we're falling behind if our own lives are messy, confusing, and full of setbacks. But the truth is, the polished version of success is a myth. Behind every great achievement is a hidden story of struggle, doubt, and relentless hard work. True success is rarely a straight line. It’s a winding road with failures, lucky breaks, and unexpected detours. The books that pull back the curtain on this process are incredibly valuable. They show us that the messy reality is not only normal, but essential. Here are some true stories that reveal what success actually looks like.

Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight

Before Nike was a global behemoth with a famous swoosh recognized on every continent, it was just a crazy idea from a guy named Phil Knight. In Shoe Dog, Knight tells the story of how he started the company, and it’s a far cry from a glamorous corporate tale. After business school, he borrowed $50 from his father and started selling Japanese running shoes out of the trunk of his car. The early days of Nike (originally called Blue Ribbon Sports) were defined by constant, near-crippling uncertainty.

Knight’s memoir is a raw and honest look at the messy reality of starting a business. The company was perpetually on the verge of bankruptcy. Banks refused to work with him, partners betrayed him, and shipments were constantly delayed. He was full of doubt, insecure, and spent years working a day job as an accountant to pay his bills while trying to get his shoe company off the ground. The story is a powerful reminder that success isn't about having a perfect plan. It’s about being willing to live with chaos, solve one problem at a time, and keep going even when it feels like everything is falling apart.

The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company by Robert Iger

Robert Iger is known as the incredibly successful CEO who transformed Disney by acquiring Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm, turning the company into an entertainment superpower. But his journey to the top was anything but guaranteed. In The Ride of a Lifetime, Iger shares the story of his 45-year career, which started at the very bottom. His first job at ABC was as a studio supervisor, a glorified gofer making $150 a week.

Iger’s book is a masterclass in what it takes to climb the corporate ladder, and it’s not about backstabbing or playing political games. He emphasizes the importance of optimism, courage, and a relentless pursuit of perfection. He shares stories of major failures, like when a beloved ABC Sports executive died on his watch, and high-stakes successes, like his risky decision to bet the company’s future on the new Disney+ streaming service. The most fascinating part is seeing how he negotiated with difficult personalities like Steve Jobs to make the Pixar deal happen. It reveals that even at the highest levels, success is about building personal relationships, earning trust, and having the guts to take big, calculated risks.

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah

We know Trevor Noah as the charismatic and witty host of The Daily Show. But before he was a global comedy star, he was a kid growing up in apartheid-era South Africa, and his very existence was a crime. Noah was born to a white Swiss father and a Black Xhosa mother at a time when interracial relationships were illegal. To keep him safe, his mother had to pretend she wasn't his parent in public, sometimes dropping his hand and walking away if she saw police.

Born a Crime is a powerful story about resilience, but it’s also about the hustle that defines many paths to success. Noah talks about growing up in poverty and using his cleverness to make a living. He started a business selling pirated CDs, became a mobile DJ for parties in the townships, and learned to navigate the complex racial landscape by learning multiple languages. His story shows that success often comes from learning to adapt to your environment and turning your disadvantages into your strengths. His ability to see the absurdity in tragic situations is what made him a brilliant comedian, a skill he learned as a survival mechanism.

Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain

Anthony Bourdain became a beloved TV host who traveled the world, but he first became famous for this explosive, no-holds-barred look at what really happens behind the kitchen doors of fancy restaurants. Before he was a celebrity, Bourdain was a journeyman chef who spent decades toiling in hot, chaotic kitchens. Kitchen Confidential shatters the romantic image of a chef as a calm, artistic genius. Instead, it reveals a world of pirates, misfits, and degenerates who work brutal hours fueled by adrenaline and grit.

Bourdain’s story shows a different kind of success—one that is earned through sweat, scars, and a deep love for the craft. He writes about the intense pressure, the screaming chefs, the drug use, and the unbreakable camaraderie of the kitchen crew. He pulls back the curtain on industry secrets, like why you should never order fish on a Monday. The book is a gritty, hilarious, and fascinating look at a world where success is measured not by fame or money, but by respect from your peers and the ability to survive another insane dinner rush. It’s a tribute to the hard, unglamorous work that is the foundation of any great skill.