When it comes to creativity, vision and overall optimism, it’s hard to find someone more fitting of those discriptors than Walt Disney. For most of Walt’s career he faced many challenges- whether it was trying to convince the film world that people would pay to see a full length animated feature, or convincing his own family that investing in a theme park would be highly successful, Walt faced each challenge with an upbeat attitude and an unwavering belief in what he was doing. We can definitely draw inspiration and motivation from Walt’s attitude toward business and life in general. Gathered here are the top 5 quotes we believe are his most inspirational. Please enjoy and if you have a favorite Walt Disney quote, be sure to share it in comments below!
5.) “It’s kind of fun to do the impossible”
This was one of Walt’s main credos in all he undertook. He believed that anything he could dream up, no matter how far fetched, was entirely possible to bring to life. Walt thrived on people telling him what he wanted was impossible, it definitely inspired him and pushed him forward. No matter what you’re faced with in life, or you’re wildest dreams, don’t let the naysayers in your life discourage you. Think as Walt and know that with hard work and determination, you can do the impossible.
4.) “I have been up against tough competition all my life. I wouldn’t know how to get along without it”
Walt thrived on competition. Whether it was for his films or later Disneyland, Walt enjoyed taking in the competition, dissecting it and figuring out how he could do it better. Anything we do in life we’ll definitely be faced with competition. It can be very easy to look at strong competition and be discouraged… but think as Walt, don’t look at your competition as competition, look at it as a blueprint to gauge what can be done better. Learn and study your competition and you’ll go far.
3.) “Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.”
I’m sure most of us have heard this quote before. Disneyland was Walt’s greatest legacy, not to mention his favorite. With Disneyland Walt set out to create something no one had before, a place where parents and children could have fun together. Most theme parks of the day were geared toward children and were very dirty, almost carnival like. Parents wold take their children and sit on benches pretty much the entire time. Walt knew there had to be a better way, and so Disneyland was born. Aside from Walt’s original vision, what has made Disneyland so successful over the years has been it’s tendency to grow and change based on the whims of it’s patrons. Walt knew that in order for Disneyland to be truly successful, it would have to change and adapt to what it’s park visitors wanted. Walt’s philosophy toward Disneyland can be applied to our own undertakings as well. Make sure you listen to those around you, seek advice often and put it into practice. Don’t be afraid to change and bend your ideas as needed- that’s how they stay relevant.
2.) “We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”
What made Walt Disney so successful was his willingness to try new things and risk potential failure. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a perfect example. Critic upon critic told Walt that a full length animated feature would never work. People would be unwilling to pay money to see a feature length cartoon. Walt disagreed and was willing to invest everything he and his company had in order to make Snow White a reality. Had Snow White failed, there would be no Walt Disney Company today. Walt took the ultimate gamble and it paid off in spades. Not only did people come see Snow White in theaters, but it had one of the biggest openings of that year. Draw inspiration from this in what you do in life. Don’t be afraid to take risks. Believe in yourself wholeheartedly and go at whatever you do will full tenacity. Dream big and go after those dreams. If you’re afraid to try then you’ll never know.
1.) “All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me… You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.”
Our number one quote kind of goes in tandem with our number two as well. Walt failed a few times during his career, not everything he tried was met with immediate success- but the important thing was he learned from each failure. In his early days, paricularly, Walt didn’t have it very easy. He was met with a lot of rejection and really didn’t have much money to his name. Through it all though, Walt gained strength and learned from his trials and tribulations. We can’t be afraid to fail. A failure we learn from is never a failure at all. Learn from your mistakes and you’ll go far. Treat each adversity as an opportunity to learn something about yourself. Adversity, if viewed in the right light, strengthens us more than we could possibly imagine. Keep Walt in mind when you face a hardship in life. Take it in, learn from it and apply what you have learned to the next big thing.
More Quotes from Walt Disney
Inspirational Business Family Mickey Mouse Disneyland