A 19th-century Dutch painter whose varied career path included many different jobs before he became an artist, illustrating how his diverse experiences contributed to his later success.

CEO of the Frances Hesselbein Leadership Forum, she became an influential leader without following a conventional early-start career trajectory, highlighting the viability of late-start successes.

A 17th-century German scientist renowned for his contributions to astronomy and his use of analogical thinking to develop theories, such as those related to gravity.

A Nobel-Prize-winning physical biochemist known for his innovative "Saturday morning experiments," through which he embraced free exploration and developed new techniques like gel electrophoresis.

Vivaldi, a composer, played a pivotal role in guiding a group of Venetian musicians known as the figlie del coro, who achieved great musical success despite limited practice time due to their other obligations.

An electronics specialist at Nintendo who developed successful toys and video games using "lateral thinking with withered technology," showing how creative exploration can drive innovation.