Before they were famous, celebrities like actor John Leguizamo, Olympic wrestler Henry Cejudo and writer Leila Cobo-Hanlon looked up to Mami for guidance. And since we know that raising accomplished and disciplined individuals is no easy feat, we applaud these moms’ countless acts of faith and persistent nudges that undeniably ignited their kids’ ambitions. Here, a dose of inspiration from three stellar mothers’ wise lessons:

For Luz Leguizamo, it was all about creating an artistic environment for her sons to thrive in New York City. “I truly believe that John was profoundly affected as a boy by watching my talented musician friends give extraordinary performances. My two sons always saw how hard their father and I worked. As immigrants, we studied English, which was difficult to do while we worked full-time. When John told me that he was going to be an actor and study drama on his own without going to college, I said firmly, ‘You must go to college. I won’t accept any excuses.’ I stood by my decision.” John Leguizamo eventually attended New York University and later enrolled in the prestigious Actors Studio. The rest is Hollywood history.

Nelly Rico came to the United States from Mexico seeking better opportunities for herself and her family. For decades, she worked multiple jobs to provide for her seven children. She consistently gave her family the resources and encouragement they needed to succeed. After raising four sons, three daughters and more than one wrestling champ, including Cejudo, the youngest American wrestler to ever bring home Olympic gold, Rico won the American Heritage Award in 2010, which is given to immigrants for their unique contributions to the U.S. “My mom is an amazing woman,” Cejudo once said. “She has influenced and encouraged me my entire life. She is my hero.”

Olga Sefair de Cobo raised four children in Cali, Colombia, with the belief that if her family always dined together and discussed what was on their minds at the table, the world could be their oyster. For her daughter Cobo-Hanlon, the executive director of Latin content at Billboard magazine and author of the critically acclaimed novel Tell Me Something True, having her mother close by made a difference. “Aside from dinner conversation, the most important thing was putting them to bed,” says Cobo. “Every night, les daba la bendición and listened to their secrets. The biggest secrets always came out at night,” she adds with a wink.

Staying sedentary isn’t in Natalie Morales’ DNA. As a reporter and anchor on NBC’s “TODAY” show, she’s gone after some of the world’s most important news stories: the rescue of Chilean miners, the Southern California wildfires, Hurricane Katrina, and the war in Iraq.

To stay healthy, the mother of two from New Jersey is also an avid runner. Incredibly, Morales finds time to volunteer with Back on My Feet, a nonprofit organization that helps the homeless rebuild their lives by teaching them to run. Their goal is to boost confidence, strength and self-esteem with the idea that building stamina makes facing uphill battles easier.

“As a member of the board, Natalie’s support has helped tell the story of how our program moves people from dependency to self-sufficiency,” says Anne Mahlum, the nonprofit’s founder and CEO. “In addition to media assistance, Natalie has given her time and support as a runner in our signature national race, the Stroehmann Back on My Feet 20in24 Challenge, and motivated fundraisers from across the country to support our mission.”

The Daytime Emmy award–winning journalist was born in Taiwan in 1972 to a Brazilian mom and a Puerto Rican dad. Morales was a U.S. Air Force brat, living in countries such as Panama, Brazil and Spain for the first 18 years of her life. Her natural beauty and runner’s physique lead People magazine to name her one of its 100 Most Beautiful People in 2009.

To date, she’s competed in five marathons, including three New York City Marathons, and has taken up triathlons as well. Morales continues to inspire women to keep going until the race is won.

Photo: Getty Images

When the Long Island, N.Y., paper Newsday profiled Samantha Garvey’s inspiring story last January, the homeless 17-year-old instantly shot to fame. Amid family turmoil -- a car crash, her parents’ consequent joblessness, the death of a grandparent and eviction from her longtime Long Island home -- Garvey maintained an impressive 3.9 GPA at Brentwood High School and became a semifinalist in the prestigious Intel Science Talent Search contest.

Her story captured the hearts and minds of Americans everywhere: President Obama invited her to his State of the Union address, and “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” granted her a $50,000 college scholarship. Most notably, she and her family left the shelter for a permanent residence: a three-bedroom county-owned home in Bay Shore. Here’s how Garvey taught a nation to endure in the face of adversity:

Pursue your passion: “I decided that if I keep doing what I love (studying science), I’m able to make a better life for myself. I’ll be able to have a great occupation ... and buy my parents a house,” she once said.

Leave the pity party: “My parents always said, ‘Keep your head up.’ If you look down and just mope, nothing’s going to come out of it. And I always took that to heart.”

Keep hope alive: “If you keep the mentality that it’s not that bad, if you look at it in a different light, then things can get better. I’m only a teen, but I’ve gone through a lot. And if you keep your head up and keep on moving forward, things will get better.”

Photo: Getty Images

Long before Dee Vazquez, 28, landed sweet gigs -- hosting Fuse’s “The Chronicles,” writing awareness-raising articles for national magazines, sharing her unique spins on hip-hop music and culture for HOT 97 and SiriusXM -- she was a girl from Queens with a dream.

And as the Puerto Rican and Dominican beauty heads for superstardom, she’s helping other young women reach their goals too. In 2006, Vazquez co-founded the nonprofit Women on the Move (WOTM) to support and educate aspiring professionals and entrepreneurs. Take a peek at the big support system she’s creating.

Field Training “The No. 1 thing we pride ourselves in is the entry-level internships we provide. If you want to get into the music business, politics, fashion or just reinvent yourself, we’ll help you. We’ve won women apprenticeships at record company Def Jam, with G-Unit and with Rachel Johnson, a fashion stylist.”

Women’s Empowerment “We ask promising women who are beginning to thrive in their chosen professions to speak on educational panels. They always tell us how empowering it is to tell their stories. By giving them the platform, they are serving and inspiring other young women, affirming the value of their own lives and experiences.”

The Sisterhood “The women of WOTM are joined together by shared passions and the desire to move up in the world. All who have participated on our panels and listened to our talks from the audience -- even those who’ve simply written emails -- are part of our sisterhood. We have your back; you have ours.”

Growing up in New York City, Alexandra Wilkis Wilson was a determined entrepreneur: She sold lemonade, bracelets and had a baby-sitting business. “An entrepreneurial spirit comes from within,” she says. “It’s hard to teach that or learn it in school. It’s almost a personality trait!” That innate drive took her to some of the most prestigious schools in the country, including Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard.

After college, Wilkis Wilson worked at Merrill Lynch for a few years. But she ditched the world of finance for fashion, snagging posts at top-notch labels like Bulgari and Louis Vuitton. Then in 2007, Alexandra teamed up with her best friend to launch Gilt.com. Today, the company is valued at $1 billion and grows at a staggering pace. Here, Wilkis Wilson shares three tips that all mujeres can apply to find success:

Pursue your passion: “Life is short. In an ideal world, you love what you do professionally. Figure out areas that you’re passionate about, and figure out if you can build a career around them.”

Pick the right business partner: “In our book, By Invitation Only: How We Built Gilt and Changed the Way Millions Shop, we have a checklist of important points to consider when partnering with someone. They include: ‘Have you seen your partner handle difficult situations?’ ‘Do you have similar energy and work ethic?’ and ‘How do you fight?’”

Embrace uncertainty: “One of the best lessons I learned from my father is to exhibit resilience in the face of adversity. Entrepreneurship is filled with highs and very low lows. Being flexible is one of the best qualities an entrepreneur can have.”