Elon Musk. If you read his Wikipedia article[1], it's amazing how much he's accomplished. Of course, he was lucky enough to be gifted with great intelligence, a strong work ethic, and a quite a bit of creativity. He's not someone to compare oneself to, but he is inspiring and I'm very glad he exists.
He was 21 years old when he saw "The Hustler" in a theater and he went immediately to the pool hall. He fell in love with the game that day, and now, 50 years later, he still is.
He's managed for most of his life to make a living at it, or at least to be very active in that scene. He's a very, very accomplished player whose talent falls just short of the professionals.
He took care to ensure my sister and I were in a stable situation, and was a single father, raising us both.
Mostly I'm impressed just because on most of the days of his life, he's done just what he wanted to do. That's a well-lived life, I think.
I know many people like to think of celebrities or the usual suspects... Honestly though, I think of my great grandfathers. They both survived World War II (one in Europe, the other in the Pacific), went on to raise families, and taught me many of the lessons that made me a better person than I'd probably have been without them around during my younger years. To me, success is the small things in life that most people either take for granted or fail magnificently at while pursuing fame and fortune.
“This is why,” Solon finally concluded to Croesus, “I cannot answer the question you asked me until I know the manner of your death. Count no man happy until the end is known.”
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elon_Musk