Gisele Bundchen Faced Rejection 42 Times Before Her Modeling Career Took Off

Gisele Bundchen reveals that she has been one of those who had to keep pushing and working to achieve success, proving that not all celebrities achieve instant fame and success in their chosen professions. In spite of numerous rejections, Gisele says she kept at it, striving to make her dreams come true and trying not to take the criticisms that came along with those rejections to heart.

Supermodel Gisele Bundchen Never Gave Up On Her Dreams

At the early age of 14, Bundchen knew that modeling was in her blood and Gisele was determined to make her dreams a reality. Even after 42 rejections, Bundchen says she was undaunted, though she admits that the criticism she received was frustrating.

“I remember some people telling me my nose was too big or my eyes were too small, that I could never be on a magazine cover,” Gisele said of her early modeling attempts in Brazil in 1995. “It wasn’t easy to be 14 and hear that kind of criticism. It made me feel insecure.”

Fortunately, Bundchen had the support of her father. She says that her dad supported her and suggested she respond to such harsh criticisms with humor and without letting them see her flustered by the rejection. Gisele says her father helped her to feel that her hard work would eventually pay off.

“I was going to castings daily, but work was still very slow,” Ms. Bundchen revealed.

Gisele didn’t book her first runway show for three years, but the booking of that first job, a 1998 runway show for Alexander McQueen, eventually led to her landing a 1999 Vogue cover, which in turn launched Bundchen to fame as the freshest face in the modeling industry.

“I felt like I was in the right place at the right time. I didn’t really know anything about fashion. I saw jobs as opportunities to travel the world and make some money so I could also help my family back home.”

Sacred Time Helps Gisele Bundchen Cope With Life And With Motherhood

To the public, Gisele Bundchen is one of the highest paid supermodels in the world, but she says her personal life is anything other than glamorous. As the wife of NFL star Tom Brady and mother of Benjamin Rein, 6, and Vivian Lake, 3, Gisele reveals that parenting duties add to her daily stresses. To keep from losing it, Bundchen reveals that she needs her own time and her personal space, which, collectively, she refers to as her scared time.

“I had to make some adjustments from what my life was like before I was a mom,” says Gisele. “My kids are so fun and loving, but they are also demanding!”

The supermodel says that keeping everything running smoothly requires creating everyone’s schedule and adding it all to the family calendar, so nothing falls by the wayside. Bundchen then adds her sacred time to the calendar, because she realizes that is as important as everything else.

“I noticed every time I felt overwhelmed I would hold my breath. I had to learn to stop, relax and take long deep breaths and within seconds I would feel more clear and ready to deal with the situation in a more loving way,” says Ms. Bundchen. “Meditation also has been a wonderful tool. I notice that when I don’t take the time to do it, I am not as centered, patient or clear.”

As for her career, Gisele says she has no plans for retirement, though she admits she would like to expand into other areas. The model says she loves learning new things and she loves creating. Could she be hinting at the prospect of pursuing an acting career? If so, she already has a couple of credits to her name. In 2004, Gisele appeared in Taxi, following that up with The Devil Wears Prada in 2006.

[Image by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Goat Communications]