Listening to a master | Travel Research Online

I  had one of “those” weeks. I am not going to sit here and whine or complain about it—that never does anyone any good. But I will freely admit that writing this column is the last thing I want to do on a Friday night when it is 75 degrees out with a nice breeze and a cool beer waiting for me on the dock at Pusser’s Landing.  But, a commitment is a commitment. Besides, topics tend to come easily when you really love what you do!

This afternoon, I was not in the mood to do anything, but I needed to make several final payments for a small group I have headed to Disneyworld in early August. Of course while I was on hold, I was poking around the DisneyAgents site, got distracted, ended up on Wikipedia and all sorts of other Disney related sites—hey, while the Internet is a wonderful tool, it is also a great distracter. I am not a Disney expert, but I have a very decent knowledge of the product, but this afternoon, in my distraction, I learned a lot about the man behind the mouse.

Walter Elias “Walt” Disney was a film producer, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, international icon, and philanthropist. He was well-known for his influence in the entertainment industry during the twentieth century. He co-founded Walt Disney Productions with his brother Roy O. Disney and became one of the most famous motion picture producers of all time.  The company that he co-founded is now known as “The Walt Disney Company” and has annual revenues of approximately $35 Billion (US). The accomplishments go on and on.

So, just how does one become that successful? I found these Walt-isms  and added some John-isms in response.

Walt-ism: A man should never neglect his family for business.

John-ism: Keep your family first. Include them in your dreams, but never lose your focus on them. When business overtakes your focus on family, you have lost the game.

Walt-ism: I have been up against tough competition all my life. I wouldn’t know how to get along without it.

John-ism: Competition makes you stronger. It makes you better. Never shy away from competition. Never underestimate the value of competition. Learn from the competition, and you will grow.

Walt-ism: Disneyland is a work of love. We didn’t go into Disneyland just with the idea of making money.

John-ism: Don’t do it for the money. Do it for the love and passion. If you are so focused on money, chances are that it will not last. Now passion will give you the strength to persevere in hard times and keep you ahead of the pack.

Walt-ism: It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.

John-ism: There is no greater motivator than someone telling you it can’t be done. Go after what can’t be done. Go after what hasn’t been done. Turn the dreams into a reality. Imagine where we would be today if the Wright brothers had not done the “impossible.”

Walt-ism: The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.

John-ism: Well done is better than well said. Stop talking and get going. Make a plan and get in the action—even a half baked plan is better than no plan. But a plan not put into action is as useless as (oh, I probably ought not go there).

Walt-ism: You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality.

John-ism: Without people, your dreams and plans will vanish. Never forget that you need people—customers, employees, partners, suppliers (and yes even the airlines).

Walt-ism: Whenever I go on a ride, I’m always thinking of what’s wrong with the thing and how it can be improved.

John-ism: Every day, make it your goal to be just a little better than you were yesterday. Think about it. If you can improve your life by 1% a day, you can reinvent your life every 100 days! Look for ways to improve. Be more efficient, kinder, more helpful, more thorough, or more inquisitive.

And the final Walt-ism I found–

All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.

Sorry, nothing to add there—not a damn thing.

Now I do believe there is a Heineken with my name on it!  Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads!