What We Can Learn From Walt Disney

Walt Disney- it’s a name that invokes images of theme parks, classic movies, and cartoons. He is known the world over, but the story of his career and the struggles he faced are a side that few people know. Through his stories of overcoming struggles and obstacles, we can find inspirations for our job search, and find encouragement to do what we love and have a passion for.

Walt Disney’s first studio, Laugh-O-Gram, went bankrupt when he was 22 years old. His next adventure, the creation of Oswald the Lucky rabbit, ended with him being removed from the picture and losing almost all his animators. A year later, he would create Mickey Mouse and finally find some success. Despite his success, critics still hounded him. Snow White was predicted to be a complete failure, and many of his associates told him not to go through with the picture. Disney persisted and Snow White became a huge hit. Another big project, the creation of the Disneyland Park, was also met with criticism. Many thought it would bankrupt Walt Disney studios. Before it opened it became known as “Walt’s folly”. Disney once again ignored the critics and went with his gut. Disneyland, as you know, became a major success.

Walt Disney developed a career that he loved and had a passion for even after facing bankruptcy, losing almost his entire animation staff, and enduring critics that called his dream project “Walt’s folly.” As Disney said himself, “All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all the troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me…You may not realize it when it happens, but sometimes a kick in the teeth may be the best thing for you.”

Don’t get discouraged when you try something and don’t succeed at first.  Keep looking for ways to learn and improve.  Believe in yourself and turn all your setbacks into something that strengthens you, not something that brings you down.

Tell us – who are your role models and how have they inspired you?