Have you ever been to DisneyWorld? We went this past summer and loved every bit of it. I always assumed Disney was such a happy place because Walt Disney was such a happy person. I just finished reading Walt Disney’s Way and learned that wasn’t necessarily the case. He was an extremely talented visionary, but could have used some work in the area of people skills. I know that this book is only one perspective, but it was definitely an interesting read. Below I have listed some things that I highlighted while reading…
- Walt viewed Disneyland as a wholesome, sanitized vision of the American dream, with the nostalgia of the idealized Main Street and Frontierland balanced by the optimism of a futuristic Tomorrowland.
- “I don’t pretend to know anything about art,” he once said. “I make pictures for entertainment, and then the professors tell me what they mean.”
- Persevere. Even for the most gifted, success isn’t guaranteed. Walt had to endure two failed enterprises and betrayal by a business associate before his efforts paid off.
- When you’re struggling to survive in a business venture or any other endeavor, you must somehow find the heart to keep going even when you think it’s impossible.
- Spring for talent. Geniuses also need help. Walt was smart enough to choose the brilliant Iwerks as his creative partner, and it was Iwerks who came up with Mickey Mouse’s image and handled most of the early Disney animation.
- Exploit new technology. Creative artists often shy away from innovative technology. In the early part of Walt’s career, the movie industry was hesitant to experiment with sound tracks and Technicolor films. He enthusiastically grasped both, winning fame, fortune, and 26 Oscars for his technological brilliance.
- Rudyard Kipling—another devalued genius—advised that triumph and disaster are both impostors, and should be treated the same.